JFK and Khrushchev work together to save the world from nuclear war

[Douglas Caddy]

Joseph McBride today wrote on Facebook: This day in 1962, October 26, Soviet Chairman Nikita Khrushchev wrote this profoundly moving and eloquent plea for peace to President Kennedy. His letter came the same day as a more bellicose one from Khrushchev. Ambassador Tommy Thompson, who knew Khrushchev well, recommended they ignore that one (probably drafted by the Politburo) and respond instead to this more clearly personal appeal. That was done, and a deal was soon
struck involving American removal of its missiles in Turkey and a promise not to invade Cuba. Khrushchev's powerful letter -- along with Robert Kennedy's urgent message to Ambassador Dobrynin the following day that an end to the crisis was needed immediately, or the president could not be sure his military would not take over -- saved the world.

http://microsites.jfklibrary.org/cmc/oct26/doc4.html

[Jon G. Tidd]

Douglas Caddy,

Your post here reminds me that the cold war, the prospect of world destruction through nuclear war, changed markedly with JFK's assassination.

In the late1950s and early 1960s, "On the Beach" prevailed. High school for me (1959-1963) was dominated by hormones, great sock hop music, high school athletics, and fear of nuclear war.

During high school in small town Illinois 1959-1963, nuclear war was the remote threat. Heat, perfume, music were the ingredients at gym sock hops.

After 1963, things changed. Music changed. Everything changed. Maybe because I went to the university. Mostly because the cold war morphed into James Bond.

[Barry Keane]

I believe a crisis over nuclear weapons was inevitable. We were so fortunate that John F. Kennedy was president when it happened.

Those who continue to try to assassinate JFK's character would do well to remember the peaceful outcome of the events of October 1962. Preventing a nuclear catastrophe comes pretty high on my list!

Edited October 26, 2015 by Barry Keane

[David G. Healy]

I believe a crisis over nuclear weapons was inevitable. We were so fortunate that John F. Kennedy was president when it happened.

Those who continue to try to assassinate JFK's character would do well to remember the peaceful outcome of the events of October 1962. Preventing a nuclear catastrophe comes pretty high on my list!

thank you Barry Keane!

[Barry Keane]

I will be paying my tribute to John Kennedy in London on November 22nd, as part of Dealey Plaza UK's commemoration of his death.

I will be speaking about how I feel about this great man. Where ever you may be on that day, pause for a moment and wonder what if.................