At What Price the Truth?

Cuban Missile Crisis

Assignment Explanation

President Kennedy and his advisors had to anticipate the possible effects of any action they took during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Your job is to consider the “what ifs?” for different scenarios involving Cuba, the USSR, and the United States at this point in history. Each group of students will be assigned a scenario and will have to demonstrate understanding of the potential effects of those U.S. policies through answering questions on a worksheet AND by drawing a comic strip that illustrates how the scenario might have realistically been played out at that time in history.

The essential question at the core of this exercise will be the basis for a whole class discussion on the day the worksheets and comic strips are due.

Is honesty always the best policy in foreign relations? Why?

Students may work in groups or by themselves. Please note that if you choose to work in a group, all members will receive the same grade. Scenarios will be randomly assigned. Students should use notes and other background readings to better understand their scenarios.

The comic strip or comic book must be at least six panels or pages long, have captions or dialogue bubbles wherever necessary, be neatly drawn (even if it is only stick figures!) and in color.

The comic strips should set up the scenario and clearly illustrate what events may have occurred (as realistically as possible) as a result of that imaginary scenario—with the U.S., Cuba, and the USSR (and any other nations if applicable).

Students should correctly use at least 7 of the vocab words from the list in their worksheets or comic strips.

Vocabulary List

1. quarantine	6. containment
2. guerilla war	7. Truman Doctrine
3. paramilitary squads	8. economic embargo
4. Cold War	9. dissimulation
5. domino theory	10. mea culpa