To reduce tensions and facilitate greater communication, the US and USSR signed the “Hotline Agreement” which created the first direct link of communication between the leaders of these powers. At the time, this was an unprecedented move as communication and information of the other powers were severely restricted. By creating this hotline, both Kennedy and Khrushchev hoped to prevent a second Cuban Missile Crisis.
Letter to Build Communication
After the failed overthrow attempt by the US government against the Cuban government led by Fidel Castro, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to place nuclear missiles in Cuba. This was 90 miles off the coast of the United States. While meant to deter future conflict, this stoked fears in Washington of a potential nuclear strike against the mainland.
President John F. Kennedy responded by setting up a blockade around the island nation and demanding the Soviets remove their missiles. With both sides refusing to back down, it seemed as though nuclear war was inevitable. But at the last second, the leaders exchanged a flurry of letters and messaged that allowed them to come to a compromise.
The Soviets would remove their missiles in exchange for the US doing the same thing to Turkey and giving assurances not to invade Cuba. Even with these assurances, the scars of this incident ran deep and highlighted the importance of clear communication between these two powers. To prevent something like this from happening again, the two leaders met again and established the “Hotline Agreement” This was a ready that established a direct line of communication between the two leaders and they agreed to contact each other in times of crisis.
The Cold War led to many strange and unusual incidents that have been immortalized in letters. Among them was the infamous Roswell incident.
“Mr. President, I see in your letter of October 25 the possibility to avert a catastrophic confrontation. I agree with your opinion that a meeting would help us prevent a collision of our nations. I propose that we, as leaders responsible for peace, issue a joint statement confirming our commitment to negotiate a peaceful resolution. We are ready to remove our weapons from Cuba under United Nations supervision, with the assurance that the United States will not invade Cuba. We should also agree that there will be no military interventions against Turkey from our side. This is an act of mutual compromise that can save the world from nuclear destruction.”
-Nikita Kruschev, Former Soviet Union Premier.
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