The Cuban Missile Crisis
Published by Claudia Meydrech under Church,Historic Events,Mom,Movies on March 30, 2009
Today as I hear the news about deploying missile destroyers to N. Korea, for some reason memories of the Cuban Missile Crisis came to mind…maybe it’s the news report today plus the fact that we watched a movie we love, “White Squall
” this weekend, and in it there is mention of the Bay of Pigs and a confrontation with a Cuban ship. I guess that’s all coming together to remind me of those tense days in the early 1960′s.
Starting my life in the 1950′s meant that we were steeped in “cold war” thinking, and at least for me, I found myself wondering when the button would be pushed that would annihilate us all, yes, I know, sounds extreme, but being one who thinks a lot, the mind can go in so many places it probably would be best to avoid….especially for an impressionable child. I remember “air raid drills” when we were in school, interesting, because I attended a private school that used old, abandoned army barracks for classrooms…going out into the hallway and sitting along the cold, cinder block walls with our hands over our heads. That can strike fear in any child!
Of course we had television, but the radio was on all the time, and during the hourly news updates, I found myself sitting very close to it to hear what the latest report would be. I remember praying a lot, and keeping my Bible close, even at at school, after all, God is not something you can touch and hold, but His Word was something I could hold in my hands, the closest tangible connection, and brought great comfort. I also remember Mom reminding her sometimes-fearful child that God would take care of us, there was nothing to fear.
At times I think that the world is more dangerous than it was back then, but the truths that Mom shared are the same, and my source of comfort hasn’t changed.
There’s a nice timeline of the events of that time, if you’re curious.
Where were you during that time in our history?
Boy, you bring up some amazing memories. I recall having the doomsday drills and diving under our desks at school putting our hands over our heads. As if that would save us from anything!
It is frightening to contemplate all the mess the world is in. For that reason, I’m very careful about watching or reading the news. Just too depressing and frightening for most of us to handle on a day-to-day basis.
However, I do believe in the great source of comfort. Thanks for the reminder!
Those were unsettling times. I remember the riots of the 60′s and how I felt unsafe. The assasinations of the Kennedy’s was another hard time.
I don’t remember the air raids, though. That must have been terrible for you. I’m just thankful that we don’t live in Germany during WW2 and how hard life was for those people.
Thanks for the visits, Eileen and Pam,
“They were the best of times, and the worst of times” as the saying goes:-) I agree with you, Eileen, I am watching the news much less, I think it just feeds the problem.
Pam, interesting you mention Germany, I just sold an old letter from WW2 on eBay written by a soldier who was in Germany, and spoke of visiting several big cities, but all of them were pulverized. In spite of the bad that some Germans did, I’m sure there were many who were wonderful people caught up in the mess.
Oh well, on to making and thinking of happier memories!
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