Play Book Tag discussion

Gambling with Armageddon: Nuclear Roulette from Hiroshima to the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1945-1962 by Martin J. Sherwin - 4* -My Review

“The first in a cascade of ominous events began the most dangerous 24 hours of the crisis, perhaps some of the most dangerous hours in world history. Advisors in the White House, the Joint Chiefs in the Pentagon, Fidel Castro in Havana, hard-liners in the Kremlin, Soviet submariners in the quarantine area, and a rogue American officer in the missile fields of Okinawa came close to initiating a military confrontation that could have led to a nuclear holocaust.”

Exploration of the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. It provides the background and context for the Cold War, starting from the first usage of atomic weapons against Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end World War II. It covers the key players leading up to the crisis, including Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro. The major dramatic set piece is a gripping and detailed analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It emphasizes the role luck played in a handful of direct confrontations, in which thermonuclear war could have easily resulted.

Sherwin used recordings, memorandums, and notes from actual meetings between Kennedy and his advisors. He also provides documentation of Khrushchev’s perspectives, speeches, and personal correspondences with Kennedy. We learn about the US missiles in Turkey and the manner in which an agreement was reached to stand down.

Initially, many people in the US military and political arena wanted to invade Cuba. This book portrays what a bad idea that would have been. It illustrates the importance of leadership, and the willingness to follow a path to diplomacy. Recommended to anyone who wants to understand the Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, and how close we came to devastating consequences.

4.5

Great review, Joy! This is an area of history that I'm weak on. It certainly has lessons for us right now. I like what you said - "It illustrates the importance of leadership, and the willingness to follow a path to diplomacy."

Holly R W wrote: "Great review, Joy! This is an area of history that I'm weak on. It certainly has lessons for us right now. I like what you said - "It illustrates the importance of leadership, and the willingness t..."
Thanks, Holly!