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Modern World History

C/H/52. The Cuban missile crisis and its impact upon foreign policy in crisis situations

WORDS:

2100

DATE:

2010

PRICE:

29.99 GBP

The paper uses as its case study the 1962 Cuban missile crisis and explains how this flashpoint in Cold War international relations is now used as a model by which to understand foreign policy crises. The research discusses the decision-making process – analysing intelligence gathering to final policy formulation. The literature review section is compelling, and includes references to the writings of the 1962 US Attorney General, Robert Kennedy, Freedman’s The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy, and Herman’s Intelligence Power in Peace and War – the latter arguing that the collection of intelligence is the most significant part of policy formation. The Rational Actor theory of international relations is examined – the idea that policy is constructed upon the belief that states, in order to perpetuate their existence, take action based on careful cost-benefit analysis linked to the reduction or diminution of risk.

KEYWORDS: Cuban missile crisis: foreign policy, international relations, nuclear proliferation, nuclear war, United States, Soviet Union, geo-strategic analysis!,