When Perspective, Restraint, and Character Intersected

This does not represent a broad character defense for for John F. Kennedy. But upon completing ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT Kennedy, Kruschev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War (Michael Dobbs; Vintage Books; 2008), character shines through - particularly exercising leadership with the long-term welfare of others at the center of his thinking. Dobbs' compelling look at the Cuban missile crisis and the unfolding events of those tumultuous 13 days portrays the intersection of perspective, restraint, and character in President Kennedy as he wrestled with the momentous decisions facing his administration resulting from the placement of Soviet R-12 nuclear missiles in Cuba. The placement of these missile with an effective range covering both the Nation's Capital (and my boyhood home...) and New York city forced Kennedy and the U.S. to act. The pressing question of those days - not quite two full weeks - brought the world perilously close to the onslaught of the unthinkable. Nuclear war.
       The major American players included the hawkish Joint Chiefs, the ambiguous younger brother Robert Kennedy, the ever-analytical Robert McNamara, the ever-analytical, but unimpressive C.I.A., and a host of others. In the end, JFK understood, and understood deeply, one man or two men, or even a group of men, should not decide the fate of the world for generations. Add to the tension of confrontation the random or haphazard event or decision by a pilot or ship or field commander which could itself ignite a powder keg.
Consider the following.

       "Mistakes were an inevitable consequence of warfare, but in previous wars, they had been easier to rectify. The stakes were much higher now, and the margins for error much narrower. 'The possibility of the destruction of mankind was constantly on Kennedy's mind,' according to Bobby. He knew that war is 'rarely intentional.' What troubled him most was the thought that 'if we erred, we erred not only for ourselves, our futures, our hopes, and our country,' but for young people all over the world, 'who had no role, who had no say, who knew nothing even of the confrontation, but whose lives would be snuffed out like everyone else's.'"
       Kennedy's perspective went beyond his able counselors and he appeared to consciously make effort to force his thinking out as far as it would go - to consider the consequences and implications of decisions upon all who would bear them. He thought historically, noting in his own crude way, "There is always some sonofa..... who doesn't get the message." Wars can start unintentionally. Mistakes happen because communication will fail. Given the voice and experience of history, he walked carefully.
       He exercised restraint when so many called for swift action. Nuclear missiles aimed at the U.S. sit 90 miles from our coast. Action would be justified, A Soviet SA-2 downed a high-flying U-2 spy plane. Action would be justified. But what comprised justifiable action? Where would the responsive actions lead? How far would the responses go? Would West Berlin be targeted - an isolated city, surrounded by the communist East Germany? Would the NATO missiles in Turkey become targets - justifiable to Russian reasoning? Kennedy understood that actions would lead to reaction. Events could easily and quickly spiral out of control.
       He demonstrated the character of keeping himself in perspective. What if he had yielded to the temptation to see the confrontation as personal? If he had seen it as an affront to his leadership? He could have spun the story in national terms, even international terms and donned the sheriff's white hat while responding militarily. He chose instead to look for ways to resolve and settle the issue knowing history would judge those 13 days and the men who found themselves on the brink of unleashing events which would have devastating and world wide consequences beyond calculation or analysis. His perspective, restraint, and character, whatever other flaws he may have exhibited, worked to bring a reasonable and peaceful result to the Cuban missile crisis.