Is the Military Portrayed Correctly in the Movie 13 Days?
by Debra Conway Though there have been complaints of “one-dimensional” portrayal of the military during the crisis, let’s look at the historical record regarding the military during the missile crisis: ===> Here they are planning a “massive military committment” for war against Cuba when JFK asked for a “surgical strike” plan. Oct 20, ’62 President Kennedy meets with the full group of planning principals. He notes that the airstrike plan as presented is not a “surgical” strike but a massive military commitment that could involve heavy casualties on all sides. As if to underscore the scale of the proposed U.S. military attack on Cuba, one member of the JCS reportedly suggests the use of nuclear weapons, saying that the Soviet Union would use its nuclear weapons in an attack. President Kennedy directs that attention be focused on implementing the blockade option, calling it the only course of action compatible with American principles. The scenario for the full quarantine operation, cove
