USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Privately, the president contemplated his options, which included air strikes, a military invasion, or a blockade of the island. Kennedy chose to blockade the island and went on television and radio on October 22 to inform the American people of the missiles and his decision to quarantine Cuba.

Detailed explanation-2: -After many long and difficult meetings, Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade, or a ring of ships, around Cuba. The aim of this “quarantine, ” as he called it, was to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military supplies. He demanded the removal of the missiles already there and the destruction of the sites.

Detailed explanation-3: -The North Atlantic Treaty Organization adopted the strategy in 1967. Flexible Response gave the president the ability to select from nonmilitary options, as well as military options, when responding to a crisis and allowed the United States to meet each hostile action with a proportional reaction.

Detailed explanation-4: -President Kennedy did not want the Soviet Union and Cuba to know that he had discovered the missiles. He met in secret with his advisors for several days to discuss the problem. Two principal courses were offered: an air strike and invasion, or a naval quarantine with the threat of further military action.

Detailed explanation-5: -Flexible response was a defense strategy implemented by John F. Kennedy in 1961 to address the Kennedy administration’s skepticism of Dwight Eisenhower’s New Look and its policy of massive retaliation.