'To Be...or Not To Be': The U.S. Response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Eleventh Grade Activity. Schools of California Online Resources for Education (SCORE): Connecting California's Classrooms to the World.

During the post-World War II era, the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union became strained. Both countries feared that one would target the other with atomic warheads placed on missiles. Fear of a nuclear holocaust occupied the thinking of many people as they went about their daily activities. As a member of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EX-COMM) during President John F. Kennedy's administration, you (the student) are familiar with these fears that U.S. security could be so compromised or even lost by the presence of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) in the hands of enemies and possibly targeted at U.S. cities. Today, October 16, 1962, you receive a memo from the President's office that a U-2 airplane flyover has provided aerial photographs of Soviet missiles in Cuba. Your task is to advise President Kennedy about an appropriate and effective U.S. response to the apparent Soviet missile installation in Cuba. Your duty is to prepare a policy brief with recommendations for U.S. reaction to the news from the U-2 airplane. A policy brief contains background information to support a particular position which you recommend to the President. This activity plan outlines the process for implementing the task; provides an extensive resource list; gives learning advice; discusses evaluation; and presents reflection and conclusion questions. The teacher notes give grade level/unit; discuss California history/social studies standards; state a lesson purpose; suggest length of class periods; and list teacher resources. The plan also outlines detailed teaching steps and suggests lesson extensions. Contains two student handouts. (BT)