October 26, 1962

After the UN general assembly meeting on October 23rd, nations across the world continued to debate and discuss the US' blockade against Cuba. Following Stevenson’s revelation of the Cuban missile photographs on October 25th, the US found both supporters and opposition among the international community (CDNW12210). While some saw the quarantine as a reasonable response to the missiles, others feared that America’s actions would only anger the Soviets and bring the world closer to nuclear war.

Ambassadors from Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria and the US reached out to the Secretary of External Affairs on October 26th, sharing their opinions and inquiring about the Canadian position on the developing crisis.  Many of the telegrams speculate about Khrushchev’s motives in Cuba, with the general consensus believing that removal of the missiles will be used “as a bargaining counter for negotiations on Berlin” (CDNW12360).

Washington, DC

On October 26th the US appealed to the Organization of American States (OAS), requesting military aid for the quarantine in Cuba. In a telegram from Washington to the SSEA, Canadian diplomats reported the contributions (CDNW12331).   

Meanwhile, Canadian diplomats at the UN (Permanent Mission in New York, or PERMISNY) wrote to Ottawa with four proposals for a peaceful resolution to the crisis (CDNW12191, CDNW12209).  Another telegram from PERMISNY reported on the important UN Security Council meeting of the day before, on October 25th, when US Ambassador to the UN, Adlai Stevenson, revealed photographs of the missiles in Cuba. In the meeting, the Soviet representative tried to cast doubt on Stevenson’s evidence, reminding the Council of “false photos" which Stevenson had shown in 1961 of Cuban planes alleged to have bombed Havana (CDNW12210).

NATOParis, Paris, London, Brussels, and Bonn

Under Secretary Cheetham of the UK Foreign Office shared his speculation of Soviet motives with Canadian diplomats. (CDNW12264). He assumed that the international attention given to the current crisis would make it “virtually impossible for US to get rid of Castro by some form of invasion,” suggesting that a diplomatic solution would be more appropriate. Cheetham expressed the UK’s “willingness to cooperate” with the Americans, but noted the UK sought assurance that the quarantine would not interfere with British shipping routes or violate “freedom of navigation” laws (CDNW12301).

Similarly, France supported the quarantine and cooperated with the United States (CDNW12195, correction on CDNW12197). France prohibited Czech and Soviet flights from flying over French territory, urging Canada and its African colonies to follow suit. A telegram from the Paris Embassy reported that the Soviets “made no attempt to hide construction of missile sites” in Cuba, speculating that the weapons were deliberately made visible as a silent threat to the US and its allies (CDNW12360).

Canadian diplomats reported that the Belgian government supported the quarantine, but were wary of providing aid due to backlash from the communist party and general concern from the public. Still, they believed that “retaliation in Berlin” – the other Cold War crisis of the early 1960s – “remains in any event likely” (CDNW12590). Denmark also supported the United States but urged both sides in the crisis to come to a peaceful resolution (CDNW12356). Germany supported the quarantine, but doubted it would be a successful solution to the crisis in Cuba. The Germans worried the Soviet Union may take “retaliatory action” in Berlin (CDNW12588).

Lagos and Cairo

Cheetham of the UK criticized the response of Afro-Asia, nations to the crisis, believing they did not “grasp the full significance” of the Caribbean Crisis, but the situation in Africa was much more complex (CDNW12264). In discussions of the quarantine against Cuba, the 12 French-speaking Brazzaville countries were not invited to the general assembly meeting (CDNW12209). Nigeria, while wary of Cuba, was skeptical of the American claims and remained neutral, urging both sides to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible (CDNW12258). Guinea and Senegal, in cooperation with France, supported the US and prohibited Soviet planes from landing or overflighting through their territory (CDNW12195, CDNW12360).

Intriguingly, the Soviet Ambassador in Cairo was in “euphoria” over the quarantine, asserting that the USSR could not accept the blockade and that Soviet ships “would proceed to Cuba, if necessary with backing of Soviet Navy.” He had told the Brazilian ambassador “there were 300 Soviet submarines in Atlantic to back up convoy” (CDNW12591).

Rio, Mexico City, and Havana

On October 26th, the US requested military aid for the Cuban quarantine at an OAS meeting, looking to establish a “system of cooperation” between Western nations (CDNW12331). In response, Argentina, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Ecuador, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, Columbia, Venezuela and Peru each made offers to the US. Brazil, while once a strong supporter of the US, was hesitant to participate in the quarantine due to growing leftist protests within the country (CDNW12361). Mexico remained quiet on the matter and made no offer to the US at the OAS meeting. However, in a telegram from Mexico City, Canadian diplomats reported on a secret deal being arranged to move Mexican planes to the Yucatan to support the US (CDNW12587).

In response to the US and its OAS allies, Cuba continued preparations for war and sought out alliances with its neighbours and the Soviets. In an undated telegram, Canadian diplomats in the Dominican Republic reported that one of its ships received a broadcast from Cuba urging the crew to mutiny (CDNW12451).

According to a Canadian Ambassador stationed in Havana, the Cubans believed that the Soviets would come to their aid and stated that the “Average Cuban is ignorant of outside world and in general draws a measure of satisfaction from propaganda” (CDNW12589). The British Embassy in Havana also reported seeing army trucks and a “100-ft long trailer” allegedly containing more missiles (CDNW12264).

Wellington

Canadian diplomats reported on a debate in the Parliament of New Zealand (CDNW12226). While Prime Minister Holyoake and his followers were in strong support of the US quarantine, the Opposition questioned the American claims, arguing that the US had military bases around the world and therefore had no reason to criticize Cuba. Many members of NZ parliament thought the resolutions proposed by the US were “half-baked” and required more work (CDNW12329). Both telegrams from Wellington note comparisons made by New Zealanders between the current crisis and the Suez Crisis of 1956.