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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

Historical Security Council

I. Background on the Security Council

The Security Council was created as a part of the six main organs of the United Nations, heading
its first meeting on January 17, 1964. It consists of 15 members, The great powers that were
victors during the World War II The Soviet Union, United Kingdom, France, Republic of China
and the United States that serve as the body's five permanent members. These permanent
members can veto any substantive Security Council resolution, including those on the admission
of new member states or candidates for Secretary-General. The UNSC has the main objective of
maintaining world peace and security. According to the UN Charter, the UNSC has four main
purposes: maintain international peace and security, cooperate to solve international issues,
develop friendly relationships between nations, and be a platform to harmonize countrys
actions. Every country that is within the UN has agreed to carry out the decisions of the Security
Council, putting this committee in a specially important position. The UNSC has the power to
obligate nations to implement decisions, something that can't be done under any other
committee. However, the UNSC looks to solve every conflict through peaceful means. If there is
a dispute, the UNSC looks to bring it to and end as fast as possible through ceasefire agreements
and by dispatching peacekeeping missions to reduce tensions. The council can also implement
enforcement measures that can so far as severing diplomatic relations, economic sanctions, opt
for a blockade, or even collective military action.
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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

II. Background on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a direct and hostile fight between the United States and the Soviet
Union. It happened during the Cold War (1947-1991) Basically it was geopolitical tension after
World War II between powers in the Eastern Bloc (the Soviet Union and the Warsaw pact) and
powers in the Western Bloc (the United States, its NATO allies and others) it was very known
for being the moment where these two superpowers and other countries confront until getting to
the risky point of having a nuclear conflict. The event still stands out as a very impacting
historical event where both sides of the battle were having different strategies in order to beat
their opposing country.

In response to the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961 which was a failed military invasion of
Cuba undertaken by the CIA-sponsored on 17 April 1961. A counter-revolutionary military,
trained and funded by the United States government's (CIA), intended to overthrow the
increasingly communist government of Fidel Castro. And the presence of American Jupiter
ballistic which was when The United States deployed nuclear tipped missiles in both Italy and
Turkey in 1961 due to NATO's Cold War deterrence against the Soviet Union. Cuba was
sinking in the case of economy. Cuba has nothing to do with the States. And thats where the
communist-socialist USSR appears. The deal is made the Soviet Union helps the islands
economy and Cuba provides its land for soviet military maneuvers. This was an opportunity for
the Soviet Union to place missiles in Cuba and considering that Cuba would agree to be
protected, on July of 1962 the Soviets came into an agreement with Cubans in order to place
nuclear missiles in Cuba for protection in case of future invasion. This was a secret agreement
though, between Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro, both prime ministers of such countries.
This was not very well planned, since the United States discovered their weapons on one of their
routine surveillance flights, 90 miles away from Florida. Pictures were taken from the planes and
then were taken into the White House, where later on after being processed the Cuban Missile
Crisis began in october 1962.
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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

III. Important Information

The session will begin like if it was October the 23th, 1962 when just recently missiles were
discovered in Cuba. It is very important to know and understand the position of your country
towards this topic and anything that concerns before 1962. Important things to master is the
position of your country toward nuclear weapons, organizations or treaties which you are part of,
relations with countries in the committee, and anything that you find useful for the committee.
Also this questions can be helpful to be prepared. Should countries be allowed to defend
themselves in light of perceived threats? To what extent should they be allowed to act in
defense? When does it become Aggressive? What should be done to countries whom posses
nuclear weapons? Is this a cause of motivation for another war? Any other subjects regarding
this topic will be useful for this aswell

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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

10/22/1962
Emergency Letter
United Nations Security Council,

Just recently we have been informed by the United States

delegation that an American U-2 spy plane secretly photographed
nuclear missile sites being built by the Soviet Union on the
island of Cuba. Now fingers are on the red button. The future of
the whole planet is in the arms of two ruling forces. And
theres nothing between them but the Cold war. It has been
realized that if nothing is done, nuclear war will be imminent
causing millions of deaths.

The United Nations calls upon to place a Crisis Emergency

session to discuss the situation regarding the discovery of this
missiles in Cuba and the discussion of what should be done in
general towards nations possessing nuclear weapons in their own
and others. It is of great urgency that we find a solution for
the sake of human mankind.

Secretary-General,
Pantanaw U Thant
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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

IMPORTANT DATES BEFORE THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

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The American School Foundation of Guadalajara

I. Useful links for research

UN Charter - Rules and procedures of the United Nations

Resolutions adopted during 1962 - Countries added to the United Nations by the Security
Council in 1962

Security Council members - Permanent and non permament members in the Security Council
during 1962

General Assembly Resolution - Resolutions adopted by the GA in 1962

Organization of American States

United Nations during Cuban missile crisis

Preventive Diplomacy at the United Nations

Cuban Missile Crisis

United Nations