Day 13: October 27, 1962 ( biggest doy of the crisis )
This was the worst day of the crisis. ( McNamara quote ) a U-2 is shot down by a SAM ( Surface to Air Missile ) site, and another flew of course over Russia. Low-level recon mission was shot at over Cuba. Then a demanding letter arrives from Khrushchev stating that they will remove the missiles from Cuba if th U.S. promises never to invade or help an invasion of Cuba. Joint chiefs press for permission to bomb Cuba. General Maxwell D.Taylor wanted to airstrike on the 29th of October, but Kennedy chose not to. He dicided to wait until another plane was shot down. some members of EX-COMM speculate hardliners. Khrushchev writes another, even more demanding letter stating that they will remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for the Missiles in Turkey. Robert Kennedy suggested that they ignore the second letter and only respond to the first. Kennedy calls a meeting of six men in the oval office. They decide that Robert Kennedy should meet again with Dobrynin to reinforce proposal. at 7:45 p.m. (EST) Robert Kennedy gives Dobrynin the american's reply to the first letter and informs him of how the missiles in Turkey were schedualed for removal and would be removed within six months of the agreement not to invade Cuba. John Scali meets again with Fomin. Kennedy releases the proposal to press. Now, it is all up to Khrushchev.
