Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: Cuban Missile Crisis
Address to the Nation delivered 22 October,
1962
Good evening, my fellow citizens:
偵察This Government, as promised, has maintained the closest surveillance
疑いなof the Sovietいmilitary buildup on the island of Cuba. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence has
established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that
虜になった

imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear
strike capability against the Western Hemisphere.
発端となる

本

Upon receiving the first preliminary質

hard information of this naturelast Tuesday

morning at 9 A.M., I directed that our surveillance be stepped up. And having now
評

価confirmed and completed our evaluation of the evidence and our decision on a course ofaction, this Government feels obliged to report this new crisis to you in fullest detail.
特徴明

確な基地The characteristics of these new missile sites indicate two distinct types of installations.
準中距離弾道ミサイル

核弾

頭Several of them include m e d i u m range ballistic missiles, capable of carrying a nuclear
海里

warhead for a distance of more than 1,000 nautical miles. Each of these missiles, in short,
is capable of striking Washington, D. C., the Panama Canal, Cape Canaveral, Mexico City, or
any other city in the southeastern part of the United States, in Central America, or in theCaribbean area.
中距離弾道ミサイル

Additional sites not yet completed appear to be designed for intermediate range ballistic
missiles -- capable of traveling more than twice as far -- and thus capable of striking most ofthe major cities in the Western Hemisphere, ranging as far north as Hudson Bay, Canada,
and as far south as Lima, Peru. In addition, jet bombers, capable of carrying nuclear
荷 を 降 ろ す集

める

weapons, are now being uncrated and assembled in Cuba, while the necessary air bases
are being prepared.
This urgent transformation of Cuba into an important strategic base -- by the presence of
大量破壊

these large, long-range, and clearly offensive weapons of sudden mass
明白なdestruction -言 語 道 断 のconstitutes an explicit threat to the peace and security of all the Americas, in flagrant and軽視

リオ条約

deliberate defiance of the Rio Pact of 1947, the traditions of this Nation and hemisphere,

ICuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation
両 院 合 同 決 議

国 連 憲 章the joint resolution of the 87th Congress, the Charter of the United Nations, and my own
public warnings to the Soviets on September 4 and 13. This action also contradicts therepeated assurances of Soviet spokesmen, both publicly and privately delivered, that the保 持 す る

arms buildup in Cuba would retain its original defensive character, and that the Sovietと ど め る

Union had no need or desire to station strategic missiles on the territory of any othernation.
The size of this undertaking makes clear that it has been planned for some months. Yet,
only last month, after I had made clear the distinction between any introduction of
地対地ミサイル対 空 ミ サ イ ル

ground-to- ground missiles and the existence of defensive antiaircraft missiles, the Soviet
Government publicly stated on September 11 that, and I quote, "the armaments and専ら

military equipment sent to Cuba are designed exclusively for defensive purposes," thatthere is, and I quote the Soviet Government, "there is no need for the Soviet Government to報

復攻撃

shift its weapons for a retaliatory blow to any other country, for instance Cuba," and that,and I quote their government, "the Soviet Union has so powerful rockets to carry these
nuclear warheads that there is no need to search for sites for them beyond the boundariesof the Soviet Union."
That statement was false.
Only last Thursday, as evidence of this rapid offensive buildup was already in my hand,
グロムイコ外相

Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko told me in my office that he was instructed to make it
clear once again, as he said his government had already done, that Soviet assistance to Cuba,and I quote, "pursued solely the purpose of contributing to the defense capabilities of
キ ュ ー バ 人

Cuba," that, and I quote him, "training by Soviet specialists of Cuban nationals in handlingdefensive armaments was by no means offensive, and if it were otherwise," Mr. Gromyko
went on, "the Soviet Government would never become involved in rendering suchassistance."
That statement also was false.
容 認 す る

Neither the United States of America nor the world community of nations can tolerate
故 意 の 詐 欺

deliberate deception and offensive threats on the part of any nation, large or small. We nolonger live in a world where only the actual firing of weapons represents a sufficient
challenge to a nation's security to constitute maximum peril. Nuclear weapons are so敏 速 な

destructive and ballistic missiles are so swift, that any substantially increased possibility ofII

Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation
their use or any sudden change in their deployment may well be regarded as a definite
threat to peace.
For many years, both the Soviet Union and the United States, recognizing this fact, have
配置する

覆deployed現す

不strategic nuclear weapons with great care, never upsetting

安定なthe precarious

状

status quo which insured that these weapons would not be used in the absence of somevital challenge. Our own strategic missiles have never been transferred to the territory of～を装って

any other nation under a cloak of secrecy and deception; and our history -- unlike that of
the Soviets since the end of World War II -- demonstrates that we have no desire todominate or conquer any other nation or impose our system upon its people. Nevertheless,
標 的American citizens have become adjusted to living daily on the bull' s-eye of Soviet missiles
located inside the U.S.S.R. or in submarines.
In that sense, missiles in Cuba add to an already clear and present danger -- although it
影 響 下 に あ るshould be noted the nations of Latin America have never previously been subjected to apotential nuclear threat. But this secret, swift, extraordinary buildup of Communist missiles-- in an area well known to have a special and historical relationship to the United States
and the nations of the Western Hemisphere, in violation of Soviet assurances, and in確

固とした

defiance of American and hemispheric policy -- this sudden, clandestinedecision tostation strategic weapons for the first time outside of Soviet soil -- is a deliberately
挑発的な正 当 化 で き な い

provocative and unjustified change in the status quo which cannot be accepted by thisあて にするcountry, if our courage and our commitments are ever to be trusted again by either friend
or foe.
抑 制 さ れ な い

The 1930's taught us a clear lesson: aggressive conduct, if allowed to go unchecked and挑 戦 を う け な いunchallenged, ultimately leads to war. This nation is opposed to war. We are also true to our
ゆ る ぎ の な いword. Our unswerving objective, therefore, must be to prevent the use of these missiles
根絶against this or any other country, and to secure their withdrawal or elimination from theWestern Hemisphere.
自制ふさわしいOur policy has been one of patience and restraint, as befits a peaceful and powerful nation～ を そ ら すwhich leads a worldwide alliance. We have been determined not to be diverted from our苛立ち熱狂

central concerns by mere irritants and fanatics. But now further action is required, and it is時期

尚早にunder way; and these actions may only be the beginning. We will not prematurely or
unnecessarily risk the costs of worldwide nuclear war in which even the fruits of victorywould be ashes in our mouth; but neither will we shrink from that risk at any time it must

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Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation
be faced.
Acting, therefore, in the defense of our own security and of the entire Western Hemisphere,
委託する

支and under the authority entrusted
決持する

to me by the Constitution as endorsedby the議Resolutionof the Congress, I have directed that the following initial steps be taken

immediately:
隔離

封鎖First: To halt this offensive buildup a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment
船荷輸

送開 始 す る

under shipment to Cuba is being initiate d. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba from
whatever nation or port will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons, be turned
輸 送 手 段back. This quarantine will be extended, if needed, to other types of cargo and carriers. We生 活 必 需 品

are not at this time, however, denying the necessities of life as the Soviets attempted to doin their Berlin blockade of 1948.
Second: I have directed the continued and increased close surveillance of Cuba and its
米州機構

military buildup. The foreign ministers of the OAS [Organization of American States], in共同声明

their communiqué ' of October 6, rejected secrecy on such matters in this hemisphere.
Should these offensive military preparations continue, thus increasing the threat to thehemisphere, further action will be justified. I have directed the Armed Forces to prepare for
突発事

any eventualities; and I trust that in the interest of both the Cuban people and the Soviet危険

関 係 者 全 員

technicians at the sites, the hazard s to all concerned of continuing this threat will berecognized.
Third: It shall be the policy of this Nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba
against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on theUnited States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union.
予防措

置Fourth: As a necessary military precaution , I have reinforced our base at Guantanamo,
退 避 さ せ る

扶

養

家

族

evacuated today the dependents of our personnel there, and ordered additional military
units to be on a standby alert basis.
Fifth: We are calling tonight for an immediate meeting of the Organ[ization] of協議

機構Consultation

under the Organization of American States, to consider this threat tohemispheric security and to invoke articles 6 and 8 of the Rio Treaty in support of allnecessary action. The United Nations Charter allows for regional security arrangements,
and the nations of this hemisphere decided long ago against the military presence of outsidepowers. Our other allies around the world have also been alerted.

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Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation

Sixth: Under the Charter of the United Nations, we are asking tonight that an emergency
安保理

召 集 す る

meeting of the Security Council be convoked without delay to take action against this latest
取り除くSoviet threat to world peace. Our resolution will call for the prompt dismantling andwithdrawal of all offensive weapons in Cuba, under the supervision of U.N. observers,撤廃する

before the quarantine can be lifted.
フルシチョフ書記長

Seventh and finally: I call upon Chairman Khrushchev

to halt and eliminate thisclandestine, reckless, and provocative threat to world peace and to stable relations between
our two nations. I call upon him further to abandon this course of world domination, and to危険なjoin in an historic effort to end the perilous arms race and to transform the history of man.
亀裂

He has an opportunity now to move the world back from the abyss of destruction by
returning to his government's own words that it had no need to station missiles outside its
控える

own territory, and withdrawing these weapons from Cuba by refraining from any action
which will widen or deepen the present crisis, and then by participating in a search forpeaceful and permanent solutions.
申 し 立 てThis Nation is prepared to present its case against the Soviet threat to peace, and our own
proposals for a peaceful world, at any time and in any forum -- in the OAS, in the United
Nations, or in any other meeting that could be useful -- without limiting our freedom of
骨 の 折 れ るaction. We have in the past made strenuous efforts to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.
We have proposed the elimination of all arms and military bases in a fair and effective
軍備削

減

disarmament treaty. We are prepared to discuss new proposals for the removal of tensions
真のon both sides, including the possibilities of a genuinely

independent Cuba, free todetermine its own destiny. We have no wish to war with the Soviet Union -- for we are apeaceful people who desire to live in peace with all other peoples.
威嚇But it is difficult to settle or even discuss these problems in an atmosphere of intimidation.
That is why this latest Soviet threat -- or any other threat which is made either
independently or in response to our actions this week-- must and will be met withdetermination. Any hostile move anywhere in the world against the safety and freedom ofpeoples to whom we are committed, including in particular the brave people of West Berlin,
will be met by whatever action is needed.
捕らわれのFinally, I want to say a few words to the captive people of Cuba, to whom this speech is
being directly carried by special radio facilities. I speak to you as a friend, as one who knowsVCuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation
愛着強く望むof your deep attachment to your fatherland, as one who shares your aspirations forliberty and justice for all. And I have watched and the American people have watched with
国家主義者の革命

裏切る

deep sorrow how your nationalist revolution was betrayed -- and how your fatherland fell
under foreign domination. Now your leaders are no longer Cuban leaders inspired by傀

儡

代 理 人

陰謀

Cuban ideals. They are puppets and agents of an international conspiracy which hasturned Cuba against your friends and neighbors in the Americas, and turned it into the first
Latin American country to become a target for nuclear war -- the first Latin Americancountry to have these weapons on its soil.
These new weapons are not in your interest. They contribute nothing to your peace andwell-being. They can only undermine it. But this country has no wish to cause you to suffer
or to impose any system upon you. We know that your lives and land are being used as
手駒pawns by those who deny your freedom. Many times in the past, the Cuban people haverisen to throw out tyrants who destroyed their liberty. And I have no doubt that most
Cubans today look forward to the time when they will be truly free -- free from foreign
domination, free to choose their own leaders, free to select their own system, free to own
不名誉their own land, free to speak and write and worship without fear or degradation. And thenshall Cuba be welcomed back to the society of free nations and to the associations of thishemisphere.
My fellow citizens, let no one doubt that this is a difficult and dangerous effort on which wehave set out. No one can foresee precisely what course it will take or what costs or
犠

牲

者

被る自制

casualties will be incurred. Many months of sacrifice and self-discipline lie ahead -- months
in which both our patience and our will be tested, months in which many threats and糾

弾

denunciations will keep us aware of our dangers. But the greatest danger of all would be todo nothing.
The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards, as all paths are; but it is the one
most consistent with our character and courage as a nation and our commitments aroundthe world. The cost of freedom is always high, but Americans have always paid it. And one
服従path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender or submission.
力正 し さ の 証 明

犠 牲 に し て

Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right; not peace at the expenseof freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and, we hope, around theworld. God willing, that goal will be achieved.

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Cuban Missile Crisis Address to the Nation
Thank you and good night.

VII