Plot

In October 1962, the Kennedy administration struggles to contain the Cuban Missile Crisis.

In October 1962, President John F. Kennedy (Greenwood) learns about the Soviet Union's plan of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. These weapons could wipe out most of the eastern and southern United States in minutes if they become operational. Kennedy and his advisors must come up with a plan of action against the Soviets.

In October 1962, U-2 surveillance photos reveal that the Soviet Union is in the process of placing nuclear weapons in Cuba. They have the capability of wiping out most of the Eastern and Southern United States in minutes if they become operational. President John F. Kennedy and his advisers must come up with a plan of action against the Soviets. Kennedy is determined to show that he is strong enough to stand up to the threat, and the Pentagon advises U.S. military strikes against Cuba - which could lead the way to another U.S. invasion of the island. However, Kennedy is reluctant to follow through, because a U.S. invasion could cause the Soviets to retaliate in Europe. A nuclear showdown appears to be almost inevitable. Can it be prevented?—<jgp3553@excite.com>

The year is 1962. USAF U-2 spy planes discover that the USSR is placing nuclear ballistic missiles in Cuba. The Chiefs of Staff warn President Kennedy and his cabinet that the missiles have the potential to kill up to 80 million Americans, and destroy a large number of USAF bomber bases - thus crippling the Americans' ability to retaliate and leaving the country an easy target for Soviet invasion. Fortunately, the missiles are not yet operational, and the President and his staff try to figure out how to get the missiles out of Cuba - whether by diplomatic means or by force. Initially, diplomatic attempts fail as the Soviets lie and stonewall the President. Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara comes up with a different plan - a naval blockade of Cuba to keep new missiles from reaching the country. When the Russians ignore the blockade and try to run it, things quickly go from bad to worse. Will the Americans & Soviets come to a peaceful settlement - or will nuclear war result?—Derek O'Cain

In the early days of October 1962, U.S. spy planes photograph the impending installation of Soviet missile sites in Cuba. While there is widespread agreement that they must not be allowed, there is no clear way to ensure that. The military feels that their destruction followed by the invasion of Cuba is likely the only option. President John F. Kennedy realizes, however, that to do so would lead the Soviet Union to invade West Berlin with the result being an all-out war. He pushes his subordinates, coordinated by brother, Robert, to come up with an alternative solution. Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara proposes a naval blockade of Cuba which the U.S. initiates with the backing of the Organization of American States. Throughout the 13-day crisis, Kennedy and his inner circle struggle to rein those who would take unilateral action and through back channels, tries to communicate with the Soviet leadership and provide them with a face-saving solution to their mutual dilemma.—garykmcd

US and USSR at the height of the cold war, each have enough nuclear weapons to destroy the entire planet many times over.

In October 1962, U-2 aerial surveillance photos reveal that the Soviet Union is in the process of placing intermediate-range ballistic missiles (the SS-4 Sandal, 1000 miles range, 3 megaton nuclear warheads) carrying nuclear weapons in Cuba (32 missiles serviced by 3400 men). Cities till Washington DC are in range, and in the event of a launch would have a less than 5 mins warning. President John F. Kennedy (Bruce Greenwood ) and his advisers (including Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy (Steven Culp), Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara (Dylan Baker), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Maxwell Taylor, USA (Bill Smitrovich), Special Assistant Kenneth O'Donnell (Kevin Costner), Deputy Director of the CIA Lieutenant General Marshall Carter, USA (Ed Lauter), United States Ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson II (Michael Fairman), Secretary of State Dean Acheson (Len Cariou), Chief of Staff of the USAF General Curtis LeMay (Kevin Conway) Chief of Naval Operations Admiral George Whelan Anderson Jr. (Madison Mason)) must come up with a plan of action to prevent their activation. The missiles will be active in 10-14 days.

Kennedy is determined to show that the United States will not allow a missile threat. The Joint Chiefs of Staff advise immediate U.S. military strikes against the missile sites followed by an invasion of Cuba. Kennedy is reluctant to attack and invade because it would very likely cause the Soviets to invade Berlin (which is NATO), which could lead to an all-out war. Citing The Guns of August, Kennedy sees an analogy to the events that started World War I, where the tactics of both sides' commanders had not evolved since the previous war and were obsolete, only this time nuclear weapons are involved. War appears to be almost inevitable. If a strike has to be launched, it has to be before the missiles are operational. The military minds are pushing hard to play out the WW III scenario. JFK leaves the meeting without giving his decision. Dean is worried that JFK might not be tough enough to make a decision. JFK feels this is moving too fast and it smells like the Bay of Pigs all over again.

The Kennedy administration tries to find a solution that will remove the missiles (there are 40 missiles now, IRBMs, which can hit every city in the US except Seattle) but avoid an act of war. Curtis LeMay tries to bully the President into launching a Pre-Emptive strike and thinks that the Soviets will do nothing in response. He is indignant when JFK refuses to authorize the strike as JFK demanded. The military heads believe the Kennedy's to be cowards. JFK meets Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin, who continues to maintain that Soviets have only defensive military equipment in Cuba. JFK cannot reveal that US knows about the missiles.

JFK rejects a blockade, as this is formally regarded as an act of war, and settle on what they publicly describe as a quarantine. They announce that the U.S. naval forces will stop all ships entering Cuban waters and inspect them to verify they are not carrying weapons destined for Cuba. US military is moved to DEFCON 3 alert status Adlai suggests making a deal with the Soviets to trade their missiles in Cuba for the NATO missiles in Turkey. The Soviet Union sends mixed messages in response. Seems like Soviets will run the blockade. JFK orders no shooting at ships without his explicit orders. The military continues to order spy plane pictures, but one of Kennedy's top advisers, Kenneth O'Donnell (Kevin Costner), calls the pilots to ensure the pilots do not report that they were shot at or fired upon, because if they were, the country would be forced to retaliate under the rules of engagement. Kenneth knows that the military knows that their planes will be shot at and this will force the President into ordering the strikes and the invasion.

Off the shores of Cuba, the US ships figure out that the Soviets have deployed subs under their merchant ships. JFK orders the destroyers to force the sub to surface via torpedo strikes. At the last possible moment, the Soviet ships turn back from the quarantine lines. JFK holds on the sub attack order. There are several mini-accidents during the crisis: the defense readiness level of Strategic Air Command (SAC) is raised to DEFCON 2 (one step shy of maximum readiness for imminent war), without informing the President; a nuclear weapon test proceeds (Bluegill Triple Prime) and a routine test launch of a U.S. offensive missile is also carried out without the President's knowledge.

Secretary of State Dean Rusk (Henry Strozier) says, "We're eyeball to eyeball and I think the other fellow just blinked."

Meanwhile Adlai presents his evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba in the UN Security Council. Adlai makes a mincemeat out of Russian and Cuban ambassadors, who were bullying him up to this point. This was remarkable since nobody in Washington though Adlai had it in him to be tough. Adlai was give the UN job, as it was a parking place till his retirement. Meanwhile one Soviet ship slips through the blockade undetected. Admiral Whelan orders the ship to be fired upon (he was firing flares to warn them), but gets a severe dressing down from McNamara in front of his staff, not to countermand the President's orders again. McNamara is clear that such actions can easily be misinterpreted by the Soviets and lead to escalation that the President didn't want.

John A. Scali (Jack Blessing), a reporter with ABC News, is contacted by Soviet "emissary" Aleksandr Fomin (Boris Lee Krutonog) (he is the highest ranking Soviet spy in the US), and through this back-channel communication method the Soviets offer to remove the missiles in exchange for public assurances from the U.S. that it will never invade Cuba. A long message in the same tone as the informal communication from Fomin, apparently written personally by Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, is received. This is followed by a second, more hard line cable in which the Soviets offer a deal involving U.S removal of its Jupiter missiles from Turkey. The Kennedy administration interprets the second as a response from the Politburo, and in a risky act, decides to ignore it and respond to the first message, assumed to be from Khrushchev.

In the meanwhile the missiles in Cuba are now operational. Soviets have also deployed tactical nukes in Cuba, which means US invasion will have immense costs. In a bid for time while under intense pressure from the military for an immediate strike, President Kennedy authorizes attacks on the missile sites and an invasion of Cuba, to commence the following Monday. An Air Force U-2 reconnaissance plane is sent over Cuba to gather intelligence for the attack, but is shot down, killing the pilot. After much deliberation with the Executive Committee of the National Security Council, Kennedy makes a final attempt to avoid a war by sending his brother, Robert F. Kennedy to meet with Soviet ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin (Elya Baskin) on Friday night. Bobby reiterates the demand that the Soviets remove their missiles from Cuba, and in return promises not to invade or assist in the invasion of Cuba.

Dobrynin insists that the U.S. must also remove all Jupiter missiles from Turkey, on the border of the Soviet Union. Bobby says that a quid pro Quo is not possible, but in exchange for Khrushchev removing all the missiles from Cuba, there will be a secret understanding that the U.S. will remove all of its "obsolete" missiles from Turkey within six months as part of a Pre-scheduled plan. The Soviets announce on Sunday that they will remove their missiles from Cuba, averting a war that could have escalated to the use of nuclear weapons.

The film ends with President Kennedy dictating a letter of condolence to the family of the reconnaissance pilot, Rudolf Anderson, who was shot down over Cuba as part of the preparations for the invasion, and the Kennedy brothers and O'Donnell outside of the Oval Office as actual audio of President Kennedy's commencement speech at American University played in the background.