One thing that I didn't know was that Eisenhower had nominated a Democrat to the court and Nixon did the same OTL. so he may just keep it partially balanced
A Man is Finished When He Quits - The Presidency of Richard M. Nixon (Redux)
- Thread starter SargentHawk
- Start date
One thing that I didn't know was that Eisenhower had nominated a Democrat to the court and Nixon did the same OTL. so he may just keep it partially balanced
I'm going to try and get a medium sized update out before the night is over. Happy Thanksgiving everyone, I hope you've enjoyed your helpings of Nixon today!
The New Normalcy in Cuba
The New Normalcy in Cuba – February 1963 to March 1963
After Guevara’s death in 1962, the rare pockets of resistance remaining in the fight moved further into the jungle with only one direction left to retreat in, down. Cuban communists, now so fractured they could not truly be said to be acting as a cohesive force, began digging simple tunnel networks under the jungle. They hoped to hide themselves and their dwindling munitions from the sights of American bombers and aerial reconnaissance flights. Examples of these tunnels were quickly discovered by American patrols and the reports supplied to Secretary Nitze greatly overestimated the true amount of forces and tunnels in Western Cuba. Operation Rough Rider II had already proven incredibly demoralizing to the shattered enemy, but this overestimation would lead Secretary Nitze to ramp up the conclusion of combat operations with a series of incredibly powerful and distinguished bangs.
Classified as the BLU-82, Nitze’s answer to what he called the ‘Stragglers’ was a new and experimental type of fuse that provided the unique ability to have maximum devastating effect in the blast radius with the added benefit leaving no blast crater of any kind. These 15,000 pound bombs were initially devised to create immediate landing zones in the dense Cuban jungle for troops hunting for RPRC camps, but this need had not proven strong enough to actually deploy any BLU-82’s into combat. Now fearing that these tunnels would allow a permanent entrenchment opportunity for the Communists, Nitze ordered 35 of these experimental weapons as a demoralizer.
Big-Blue's devastating wake - February 15th 1963
‘Big Blue’, the first of these weapons to be dropped on Cuba was piloted over its drop zone by a Sikorsky CH-54 and dropped into the jungle. The explosion was so powerful that all surrounding oxygen of the blast radius was sucked towards the flame before a shockwave broke and crippled trees in an epic show of firepower for 3000 feet. Between February 15th and February 23rd all 35 of these bombs were dropped in densely forested areas that had most recently reported enemy activity. Along with these monstrously large bombs were constant volleys of napalm that brought areas of the Western Cuban jungle into a hellfire of biblical proportions. The straggling Communist holdouts officially surrendered during the week of March 4th, finally bringing an end to official American combat operations in Cuba.
“My Fellow Americans, I have the great happiness to report to you in this hour that the American mission in Cuba has been accomplished. The last remaining Communist forces on the island have surrendered and I have spoken to Cuban President Cardona on our intentions going forward. In this collective victory with the Cuban people we have shown the power that Freedom brings and we will show what happiness freedom is capable of to the peoples of our Southern neighbor. US armed forces will begin a gradual and layered withdrawal from Cuba with 80% of those deployed expected to leave positions in Cuba by the end of June. Those remaining forces will act in a policing and non-combative role in order to ensure that the government of Cuba is peacefully able to solidify and begin recovering from the damages brought on by the Castro regime. I have granted the Army Corps of Engineers with the task of rebuilding numerous bridges and roadways that will prove vital to the recovering Cuban economy. These projects will of course be under guard by both US and Cuban forces for the time being. In the coming weeks this Administration will be appointing an official Ambassador to Cuba to work hand in hand with the Cardona government……
Thank you, and God Bless.” – Excerpt from Richard Nixon’s Cuban Victory Address.
The once crowded military that had grown up around Guantanamo Bay steadily began to replace American soldiers with Cuban refugees as combat operations came to a stop over the next few months. Skies previously filled with bombers and jets became replaced with supply helicopters and reconnaissance flights. Across major Cuban cities that had been the sights of the fiercest fighting since the Korean War soldiers and engineers were now helping remove the rubble they had created. American cargo planes peppered the outskirts of villages and cities with supply drops of MREs and clean drinking water; each crate adorned with the new Cuban flag to build support for the Cardona government.
US Troops trading daily patrols for the 'relaxing' life of guard duty in a Cuban governmental building - April 1963
The new American role in Cuba was one of peacekeeper during the solidification of the Cardona government. While the Nixon Administration wanted to begin pulling out as many soldiers as it could in order to begin curving back costs that Rough Rider II had demanded, it was also aware that any potential risk against Cardona could not be ignored. For the sake of ensuring the transition to freedom, curfews and regional passports were temporarily issued to limit the movements of individuals throughout the country. For good or worse, the Cardona government, in desperate need of military officers turned toward the tamer survivors from the days of Batista, a move among many that was kept quiet when no official papers or news sources were restarted. The movement of the house of government from Trinidad back to Havana was also begun so to give Cardona more of a claim to power to the people who had always known Havana to hold the seat of power.
“We now begin a new era for Cuba, where freedoms will be upheld and not curtailed. This will be the time where we look back and remember heading with open arms toward a new normalcy” – Secretary of State Milton Eisenhower, March 24th 1963
Faced with yet another selection for whom to appoint to a position, Nixon turned to a former friend that had become a bitter opponent as his most preferred choice to act as the voice of America to the Cuban government. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Conversation between President Nixon and Senator Kennedy: March 28th 1963
Kennedy: Hello, this is Senator Kennedy.
Woods: Senator Kennedy I have a call for you from the President.
Kennedy: Thank you.
Nixon: Jack how are you.
Kennedy: Fine all things considered, what can I help you with Mr. President.
Nixon: Well Jack, I’ve had my men put together a short list for me… to select an Ambassador to Cuba, you know to oversee the whole process down there and be a face for the country.
Kennedy: Alright…
Nixon: And Jack, you see… I’ve hated every name they’ve brought to me. None of them are really what I’m looking for and I’m wanting to bring a Democrat in on this, someone who won’t mind telling me if something isn’t going right down there.
Kennedy: And you want my opinion on who to select then Mr. President?
Nixon: In some ways, yes. Jack, I’d like you to go…
Kennedy: I’m not interested…
Nixon: Now, Now, Now… here me out Jack. Look, I’ve helped you and now I need you to help me with this, some would kill to go down to a place like Cuba, especially once everything is running smoothly again.
Kennedy: What do you mean you’ve helped me?
Nixon: That’s not what I’m trying to focus on here Jack, look… I can’t go down there myself to oversee it or I’d be doing that right now. I need someone I can trust to run a tight ship but also not say something just because I want to hear it. We both know you’ve always had a knack for foreign relations.
Kennedy: How did you help? What did you mean?
Nixon: I pulled Hoover’s chain while he was frothing at the mouth for a kill. He had information on whatever it is going on between you and Jackie. And I told him that I wanted it buried, that I didn’t want him ever bringing that up to me again. I wanted it disappeared. So far it has stayed disappeared despite his best wishes. Look I didn’t mean to mention it, don’t let that crowd your judgement here.
Kennedy: If you think that… that you can use that to influence my decision on this Mr. President…
Nixon: Jack, I wouldn’t dream of using something like that against you. I didn’t in the election and I’m not now, your Vice President pick did more to try and kill you in the primaries than I ever did in the election. You know that for a fact. I really do need your expertise here. If anything, try and get Jackie to come with you… get the house back in order and everything. Get away from Washington and let that do you some good. I’ve never had any harsh feelings on anything said between us and I hope you’ve felt the same on that.
Kennedy: Let me consider it Mr. President… I will get you an answer.
Ambassador Kennedy arrives in Cuba - September 1963
After Guevara’s death in 1962, the rare pockets of resistance remaining in the fight moved further into the jungle with only one direction left to retreat in, down. Cuban communists, now so fractured they could not truly be said to be acting as a cohesive force, began digging simple tunnel networks under the jungle. They hoped to hide themselves and their dwindling munitions from the sights of American bombers and aerial reconnaissance flights. Examples of these tunnels were quickly discovered by American patrols and the reports supplied to Secretary Nitze greatly overestimated the true amount of forces and tunnels in Western Cuba. Operation Rough Rider II had already proven incredibly demoralizing to the shattered enemy, but this overestimation would lead Secretary Nitze to ramp up the conclusion of combat operations with a series of incredibly powerful and distinguished bangs.
Classified as the BLU-82, Nitze’s answer to what he called the ‘Stragglers’ was a new and experimental type of fuse that provided the unique ability to have maximum devastating effect in the blast radius with the added benefit leaving no blast crater of any kind. These 15,000 pound bombs were initially devised to create immediate landing zones in the dense Cuban jungle for troops hunting for RPRC camps, but this need had not proven strong enough to actually deploy any BLU-82’s into combat. Now fearing that these tunnels would allow a permanent entrenchment opportunity for the Communists, Nitze ordered 35 of these experimental weapons as a demoralizer.
Big-Blue's devastating wake - February 15th 1963
‘Big Blue’, the first of these weapons to be dropped on Cuba was piloted over its drop zone by a Sikorsky CH-54 and dropped into the jungle. The explosion was so powerful that all surrounding oxygen of the blast radius was sucked towards the flame before a shockwave broke and crippled trees in an epic show of firepower for 3000 feet. Between February 15th and February 23rd all 35 of these bombs were dropped in densely forested areas that had most recently reported enemy activity. Along with these monstrously large bombs were constant volleys of napalm that brought areas of the Western Cuban jungle into a hellfire of biblical proportions. The straggling Communist holdouts officially surrendered during the week of March 4th, finally bringing an end to official American combat operations in Cuba.
“My Fellow Americans, I have the great happiness to report to you in this hour that the American mission in Cuba has been accomplished. The last remaining Communist forces on the island have surrendered and I have spoken to Cuban President Cardona on our intentions going forward. In this collective victory with the Cuban people we have shown the power that Freedom brings and we will show what happiness freedom is capable of to the peoples of our Southern neighbor. US armed forces will begin a gradual and layered withdrawal from Cuba with 80% of those deployed expected to leave positions in Cuba by the end of June. Those remaining forces will act in a policing and non-combative role in order to ensure that the government of Cuba is peacefully able to solidify and begin recovering from the damages brought on by the Castro regime. I have granted the Army Corps of Engineers with the task of rebuilding numerous bridges and roadways that will prove vital to the recovering Cuban economy. These projects will of course be under guard by both US and Cuban forces for the time being. In the coming weeks this Administration will be appointing an official Ambassador to Cuba to work hand in hand with the Cardona government……
Thank you, and God Bless.” – Excerpt from Richard Nixon’s Cuban Victory Address.
The once crowded military that had grown up around Guantanamo Bay steadily began to replace American soldiers with Cuban refugees as combat operations came to a stop over the next few months. Skies previously filled with bombers and jets became replaced with supply helicopters and reconnaissance flights. Across major Cuban cities that had been the sights of the fiercest fighting since the Korean War soldiers and engineers were now helping remove the rubble they had created. American cargo planes peppered the outskirts of villages and cities with supply drops of MREs and clean drinking water; each crate adorned with the new Cuban flag to build support for the Cardona government.
US Troops trading daily patrols for the 'relaxing' life of guard duty in a Cuban governmental building - April 1963
The new American role in Cuba was one of peacekeeper during the solidification of the Cardona government. While the Nixon Administration wanted to begin pulling out as many soldiers as it could in order to begin curving back costs that Rough Rider II had demanded, it was also aware that any potential risk against Cardona could not be ignored. For the sake of ensuring the transition to freedom, curfews and regional passports were temporarily issued to limit the movements of individuals throughout the country. For good or worse, the Cardona government, in desperate need of military officers turned toward the tamer survivors from the days of Batista, a move among many that was kept quiet when no official papers or news sources were restarted. The movement of the house of government from Trinidad back to Havana was also begun so to give Cardona more of a claim to power to the people who had always known Havana to hold the seat of power.
“We now begin a new era for Cuba, where freedoms will be upheld and not curtailed. This will be the time where we look back and remember heading with open arms toward a new normalcy” – Secretary of State Milton Eisenhower, March 24th 1963
Faced with yet another selection for whom to appoint to a position, Nixon turned to a former friend that had become a bitter opponent as his most preferred choice to act as the voice of America to the Cuban government. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy.
Conversation between President Nixon and Senator Kennedy: March 28th 1963
Kennedy: Hello, this is Senator Kennedy.
Woods: Senator Kennedy I have a call for you from the President.
Kennedy: Thank you.
Nixon: Jack how are you.
Kennedy: Fine all things considered, what can I help you with Mr. President.
Nixon: Well Jack, I’ve had my men put together a short list for me… to select an Ambassador to Cuba, you know to oversee the whole process down there and be a face for the country.
Kennedy: Alright…
Nixon: And Jack, you see… I’ve hated every name they’ve brought to me. None of them are really what I’m looking for and I’m wanting to bring a Democrat in on this, someone who won’t mind telling me if something isn’t going right down there.
Kennedy: And you want my opinion on who to select then Mr. President?
Nixon: In some ways, yes. Jack, I’d like you to go…
Kennedy: I’m not interested…
Nixon: Now, Now, Now… here me out Jack. Look, I’ve helped you and now I need you to help me with this, some would kill to go down to a place like Cuba, especially once everything is running smoothly again.
Kennedy: What do you mean you’ve helped me?
Nixon: That’s not what I’m trying to focus on here Jack, look… I can’t go down there myself to oversee it or I’d be doing that right now. I need someone I can trust to run a tight ship but also not say something just because I want to hear it. We both know you’ve always had a knack for foreign relations.
Kennedy: How did you help? What did you mean?
Nixon: I pulled Hoover’s chain while he was frothing at the mouth for a kill. He had information on whatever it is going on between you and Jackie. And I told him that I wanted it buried, that I didn’t want him ever bringing that up to me again. I wanted it disappeared. So far it has stayed disappeared despite his best wishes. Look I didn’t mean to mention it, don’t let that crowd your judgement here.
Kennedy: If you think that… that you can use that to influence my decision on this Mr. President…
Nixon: Jack, I wouldn’t dream of using something like that against you. I didn’t in the election and I’m not now, your Vice President pick did more to try and kill you in the primaries than I ever did in the election. You know that for a fact. I really do need your expertise here. If anything, try and get Jackie to come with you… get the house back in order and everything. Get away from Washington and let that do you some good. I’ve never had any harsh feelings on anything said between us and I hope you’ve felt the same on that.
Kennedy: Let me consider it Mr. President… I will get you an answer.
Ambassador Kennedy arrives in Cuba - September 1963
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A film from OTL Vietnam of early BLU-82 tests. Invented close to ten years earlier than OTL, the BLU-82 is an even more impressive feat of weaponry.
This very nicely shows the difference between pre-1968 Nixon and post-1968 Nixon.
I've really emjoyed being able to work on this over the holiday! I'm glad everyone's enjoying it!
Indeed it does, then again in this context we'll never know if he Nixon meant to be off-handily threatening or not.
-Almost used this really old photo I made of Kennedy with a beard. But Then realized how much they'd liken him to an American Castro.
For the next update we will temporarily rewind back to November 1962 for a quick stop. sorry for the jump around
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The Summary of the Cuban-American War
Summary of the Cuban-American War - Encyclopedia Britannica (1984 edition)
The Cuban American war occurred between the United States of America and the two Communist governments in Cuba between the years of 1961 and 1963. Most sources cite the US backed invasion of Trinidad that commenced on May 12th 1961 as the beginning of hostilities between the two nations. Some discourse continues however, stating that the war officially began after the May 17th attack on the American naval base in Guantanamo Bay led by Raul Castro. Raul Castro had assumed Cuban leadership after Fidel Castro's death while leading troops in Trinidad.
The war developed over 4 distinct phases, each falling under a different Operational focus organized by Secretary of Defense Nitze.
-Operation Pluto - (The Invasion of Trinidad and Isla de Pinos. Fidel Castro killed)
-Operation Atlas - (American retaliation against Cuban forces, resulted in the death of Raul Castro)
-Operation Rough Rider - (American invasion of Havana and Santa Clara)
-Operation Rough Rider II - (American bombing campaigns and Guerilla hunting. Che Guevara killed)
The war came to climactic conclusion after Operation: Rough Rider I and II dropped a combined 1.55 million tons of explosives on the island. The final large surrenders that signaled the end of the war occurred on March 6th 1963.
Important innovations brought by the war were the creation of the BLU-82 explosive ordinance, the strategy of air cavalry deployment, and the development and evolution of US strategy against Guerilla Warfare tactics. The Nixon Administration would work closely to the Cardona government in the years following to create a strong and lasting free government to the country. While a police force would be allowed to keep the peace, no Cuban army would be allowed nor were tanks or other express weapons of war permitted to be owned by the Cuban government. This effectively, while not officially, made the Nation of Cuba an autonomous protectorate of the United States.
Official List of Casualties:
American Forces:
- 1,086 Armed Forces killed in Combat (213 killed in air related incidents, 778 killed in direct combat, 94 killed in explosions in occupied cities.)
- 5,000 wounded during deployment (est.)
- 34 Civilians killed.
-7 B26 Bombers
-9 A-1 Skyraiders
-5 A-4 Skyhawks
-4 C-123 Providers
-16 H-34 helicopters
-31 M48 Patton tanks destroyed or disabled.
Free Cubans:
-6,375 Cuban prisoners from Presidio Modelo demolition
-500 to 900 Cuban paramilitary fighters (est.)
-12,000 to 14,000 Cuban Civilians killed by Guevaran forces (est.)
Castro Cuba/RPRC Forces
-Complete destruction of the Cuban Air force.
-Complete destruction of Cuban naval forces.
-Destruction and dissolution of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Force.
-President Fidel Castro Killed, officially declared dead by US Department of Defense in 1965.
-Acting President Raul Castro Killed in Operation Atlas.
-Leading Military Junta killed during Havana invasion during Rough Rider I.
-Che Guevara killed during Rough Rider II.
The Cuban American war occurred between the United States of America and the two Communist governments in Cuba between the years of 1961 and 1963. Most sources cite the US backed invasion of Trinidad that commenced on May 12th 1961 as the beginning of hostilities between the two nations. Some discourse continues however, stating that the war officially began after the May 17th attack on the American naval base in Guantanamo Bay led by Raul Castro. Raul Castro had assumed Cuban leadership after Fidel Castro's death while leading troops in Trinidad.
The war developed over 4 distinct phases, each falling under a different Operational focus organized by Secretary of Defense Nitze.
-Operation Pluto - (The Invasion of Trinidad and Isla de Pinos. Fidel Castro killed)
-Operation Atlas - (American retaliation against Cuban forces, resulted in the death of Raul Castro)
-Operation Rough Rider - (American invasion of Havana and Santa Clara)
-Operation Rough Rider II - (American bombing campaigns and Guerilla hunting. Che Guevara killed)
The war came to climactic conclusion after Operation: Rough Rider I and II dropped a combined 1.55 million tons of explosives on the island. The final large surrenders that signaled the end of the war occurred on March 6th 1963.
Important innovations brought by the war were the creation of the BLU-82 explosive ordinance, the strategy of air cavalry deployment, and the development and evolution of US strategy against Guerilla Warfare tactics. The Nixon Administration would work closely to the Cardona government in the years following to create a strong and lasting free government to the country. While a police force would be allowed to keep the peace, no Cuban army would be allowed nor were tanks or other express weapons of war permitted to be owned by the Cuban government. This effectively, while not officially, made the Nation of Cuba an autonomous protectorate of the United States.
Official List of Casualties:
American Forces:
- 1,086 Armed Forces killed in Combat (213 killed in air related incidents, 778 killed in direct combat, 94 killed in explosions in occupied cities.)
- 5,000 wounded during deployment (est.)
- 34 Civilians killed.
-7 B26 Bombers
-9 A-1 Skyraiders
-5 A-4 Skyhawks
-4 C-123 Providers
-16 H-34 helicopters
-31 M48 Patton tanks destroyed or disabled.
Free Cubans:
-6,375 Cuban prisoners from Presidio Modelo demolition
-500 to 900 Cuban paramilitary fighters (est.)
-12,000 to 14,000 Cuban Civilians killed by Guevaran forces (est.)
Castro Cuba/RPRC Forces
-Complete destruction of the Cuban Air force.
-Complete destruction of Cuban naval forces.
-Destruction and dissolution of the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Force.
-President Fidel Castro Killed, officially declared dead by US Department of Defense in 1965.
-Acting President Raul Castro Killed in Operation Atlas.
-Leading Military Junta killed during Havana invasion during Rough Rider I.
-Che Guevara killed during Rough Rider II.
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Who are the Democratic frontrunners for 1964? It seems like Nixon is doing a good job, so the big names might be rather unwilling to run, which could make it a sort of 1992-esque situation.
JFK is involved with other endeavors, while he had no intentions on running at all, the Nixon appointment was partially made to keep Kennedy out of the election and busy with managing the Cubans and his own marital recovery. Stuart Symington, Hubert Humphrey, and George Smathers could all be expected to make a showing for 1964.
The elephant (or donkey I should say) in the room is that of Lyndon Baynes Johnson, who still furious over Nixon's victory has created and planned for a warpath to take the nomination for himself. Knowing the man's personality, he will likely view this as the last chance he has to take the office. While Governor Pat Brown may be an interesting choice for a candidate or possibly a VP pick, he is less likely to be involved due to Ronald Reagan's holding lieutenant governor, an being the one who would take his place.
Thanks. I've always wondered about who the Democrats were likely to nominate in 1964 if Nixon had won.
By the way, Fidel Castro died tonight, IOTL. Oddly poetic, don't you think?
What! That just broke! Dammit, I had an odd liking of Fidel Castro... more of a respect really, but that's still shocker. Yes, it was very poetic.
Yes, Castro was a tyrannically dictator, but he never really created a cult of personality and he really did believe in anti-imperialism. That's about all the positive I can say about him.
I just have to have respect for a man that stood 90 miles off the coast of the world's most powerful nation and actively told them to effectively go to hell even when they repeatedly tried to have him killed. Not saying I agree with some or any of his policies, but that display of courage or whatever it was is deserving of some respect.