Thirteen Days Slides
Instructional slides on the Cuban Missile Crisis, focusing on the concept of brinkmanship, the discovery of missile sites in Cuba, the strategic options debated by ExComm (Air Strike vs Blockade vs Diplomacy), and the eventual secret deal that resolved the crisis.
Hotline Letters Analysis
A primary source analysis worksheet featuring declassified correspondence between Kennedy and Khrushchev during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Students analyze the metaphors and strategic trade-offs used to de-escalate the nuclear threat.
ExComm Facilitator Guide
A teacher guide for the Cuban Missile Crisis lesson. Includes narrative context for the "Trollope Ploy" and the secret Turkey deal, an answer key for the Hotline Letters analysis, and high-level discussion prompts for class debate.
