The Cuban Missile Crisis: Public Panic or Widespread Concern?

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 was one of the closest brushes with nuclear war in history. It has often been depicted in historical accounts, films, and books as a period of intense panic in the United States. However, interviews and firsthand accounts from people who experienced it provide a more nuanced picture. Was the public truly on the brink of panic, or was the state of concern more subdued? Let's delve into the evidence from various perspectives.

Did the US Public Panic During the Cuban Missile Crisis?

According to various interviews and historical accounts, there wasn’t much panic among the American public at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. One former Marine shared his experience, stating, “There was a concern, but I don’t believe people were panicking or really scared.” Another perspective comes from a teenager who was 12 years old during the crisis. He recounted, “There was indeed considerable concern that the US and Russia were moving rapidly to some form of confrontation. My parents purchased additional food and stayed glued to the TV.”

The State of Concern

While the public was certainly concerned, the level of panic was not as widespread as often depicted. Many people took actions out of concern, such as stocking up on food. However, this was relatively uncommon. The Marine mentioned, “In some places cleaned out the grocery stores, but even that was rare.”

The Marine further explained, “I was in the Marine Corps on Okinawa when that happened. We knew how serious the situation was, but I don’t think the American public realized how bad it got. There was no phone line direct to the Kremlin then. If some commander in the USSR decided to launch WWIII, war would have started. We blockaded Cuba with the US navy, and the Russians also had nuclear submarines in the area. If some sub commander decided to launch a nuclear torpedo, the war would have started.”

DEFCON Levels

The DEFCON (Defense Condition) scale was a measure of the U.S. military's preparedness for and response to nuclear warfare. The Marine noted, “We were at DEFCON 4, the hightest level of readiness. DEFCON 5 would have meant launch.”

Local Civil Defense Preparations

Another perspective came from a young delivery boy who remarked, “I truly believed I would never see my twenties and tried to relish each day as if it was my last. The local Civil Defense checks supplies in the basements of public buildings to ensure they were ready for a mass rush.”

The Truth Behind the Crisis

Historical revelations have added layers of complexity to the tale. The young delivery man recalled, “Of course, we didn’t know how close we really came. The Joint Chiefs of Staff were advocating taking out the missile sites by jet aircraft before they were functional. We didn’t know several were already functional and under the command of Cuba, not the USSR. Whose site officers had been instructed to launch if there was any intrusion of airspace by the US. This means that had Kennedy listened to his military advisors, as he had for the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which perpetuated this event, several US cities would have been obliterated. We did not find out that several missiles were functional and under Cuban control until decades later.”

The Impact on America's Perception of Its Leaders

The Cuban Missile Crisis left a lasting impact on America's relationship with its military leadership. The young Marine mentioned, “Kennedy never trusted his military advisors after those two events and many felt it may have contributed to his demise.” This illustrates the profound trust issues and mistrust that developed between the civilian leadership and military high command.

The Cuban Missile Crisis is often seen as a defining moment in the Cold War. While the public was certainly concerned, the level of panic was not as widespread as is often portrayed. The experience of those who lived through it highlights the complex emotions and actions of a society on the brink of nuclear conflict. The lessons learned from the crisis continue to shape international relations and military strategies to this day.