Question

What three options did Kennedy's staff consider as a response to Soviet missiles headed to Cuba? Sink any Soviet transports. Take out all the missile sites. Attack Russia through Berlin. Conduct a military invasion. Assassinate Cuba's Fidel Castro. Run a blockade or quarantine.

Answer 1

"Take out all the missile sites" "Conduct a military invasion" and "Run a blockade or quarantine" were the three options considered by the administration, although the invasion was not taken very seriously since it would have resulted in mass casualties. 

Answer 2

The correct answers are as followed:

1) Take out all the missile sites - This would allow the immediate threat of the medium range ballistic missiles in Cuba to be disabled.

2) Conduct a military invasion- The goal of this strategy was to take over the sites where Soviet weapons already existed in order to prevent them from becoming fully functional.

3) Run a blockade or quarantine - This blockade/quarantine would stop future Soviet missiles from entering Cuba. However, it was a temporary solution and would do nothing to the missiles already in Cuba.

Ultimately, President Kennedy goes with a quarantine of Cuba. He uses the word quarantine instead of blockade because the term blockade insinuates an act of war. Both the US and Soviet Union at this time were trying to prevent an all out war.