"...[The) military options moved further
toward a much larger strike which would
very likely have to be accompanied by a
land and sea invasion... Almost certainly
[an invasion of Cuba] would have led to
a Soviet military response somewhere in
the world. Now before I leave this
question, let me go back and say there
was one other military alternative which
was considered at the time, and that
was a quarantine [blockade], and that of
course is what the President decided on.
It was believed that this would be seen
by Khrushchev not in a sense as a
military action, but as a message. It was
meant to convey the President's
determination to see those weapons
removed..."
-Robert McNamara, former Secretary of
Defense, interview 1998
Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on the quote, what can best be
inferred about why the United States felt
it needed to take the action McNamara
mentions, as a response to the
placement of weapons in Cuba?
(1 point)
The threat of an attack on U.S. soil
was imminent based on Cuba's
close proximity.
The president wanted to send a
clear message to the Soviet
government.
The U.S. government wanted to
easily take over nuclear missile
operations in Cuba.
The Secretary of Defense wanted to
prevent the Soviet invasion of Cuba.

Question

daisy417 daisy417

08-05-2024
History

Answered

"...[The) military options moved further
toward a much larger strike which would
very likely have to be accompanied by a
land and sea invasion... Almost certainly
[an invasion of Cuba] would have led to
a Soviet military response somewhere in
the world. Now before I leave this
question, let me go back and say there
was one other military alternative which
was considered at the time, and that
was a quarantine [blockade], and that of
course is what the President decided on.
It was believed that this would be seen
by Khrushchev not in a sense as a
military action, but as a message. It was
meant to convey the President's
determination to see those weapons
removed..."
-Robert McNamara, former Secretary of
Defense, interview 1998
Use the passage to answer the question.
Based on the quote, what can best be
inferred about why the United States felt
it needed to take the action McNamara
mentions, as a response to the
placement of weapons in Cuba?
(1 point)
The threat of an attack on U.S. soil
was imminent based on Cuba's
close proximity.
The president wanted to send a
clear message to the Soviet
government.
The U.S. government wanted to
easily take over nuclear missile
operations in Cuba.
The Secretary of Defense wanted to
prevent the Soviet invasion of Cuba.

Answer :

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GinnyAnswer GinnyAnswer · Answer 1 · 2024-05-08T17:22:01-04:00

Based on the quote by Robert McNamara, the best inference about why the United States felt it needed to take action in response to the placement of weapons in Cuba is that the president wanted to send a clear message to the Soviet government.

1. The passage mentions that the military options were moving towards a larger strike that could lead to a land and sea invasion, likely triggering a Soviet military response worldwide. However, President Kennedy opted for a quarantine (blockade) instead of a full-scale invasion. This decision was meant to convey the President's determination to have the weapons removed.

2. The use of a blockade was seen as a message to Khrushchev, the Soviet leader, rather than a direct military action. It aimed to show the seriousness of the situation and the resolve of the U.S. government to address the presence of nuclear weapons in Cuba.

3. The quote highlights that the quarantine was selected as an alternative to military actions that could escalate into a larger conflict. It indicates that the primary goal was not a military takeover of Cuban missile operations but rather a strategic move to avoid a direct confrontation while still addressing the threat posed by the missiles in Cuba.

Therefore, based on the passage, it can be inferred that the United States felt the need to take action to send a clear message to the Soviet government regarding the removal of the weapons in Cuba, rather than seeking a military conquest or preventing a Soviet invasion of Cuba.