# The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv221yyf000hi206oik6ves5
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 17 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: United States leaders, Soviet leaders, Soviet submarine, The world

## Pain points

Where this process hurts, worst first:

- **A Soviet submarine, under attack by depth charges, considers launching a nuclear torpedo** (The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war; critical): One officer's refusal is often credited with stopping it
- **A US spy plane is shot down over Cuba on Black Saturday** (The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war; critical): The closest day to war

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war

Lanes:
- United States leaders: person / role (id `us`)
- Soviet leaders: person / role (id `ussr`)
- Soviet submarine: person / role (id `sub`)
- The world: person / role (id `world`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **A spy plane photographs Soviet missile sites being built in Cuba** [start; United States leaders; id `m1`]
   - then A small group of advisers debate the options
2. **A small group of advisers debate the options** [subprocess; United States leaders; id `m2`], opens the detail layer "The options the advisers weighed"
   - then Kennedy picks a naval blockade and calls it a quarantine
3. **Kennedy picks a naval blockade and calls it a quarantine** [task; United States leaders; id `m3`]
   - then He tells the nation on TV and the world holds its breath
4. **He tells the nation on TV and the world holds its breath** [task; The world; id `m4`]
   - then Do Soviet ships turn back from the blockade line?
5. **Do Soviet ships turn back from the blockade line?** [decision; Soviet leaders; id `m5`]
   - if "Yes" go to Private talks begin while the military prepares for war; if "No" go to Risk of a firefight at sea
6. **Private talks begin while the military prepares for war** [task; United States leaders; id `m6`]
   - then A Soviet submarine, under attack by depth charges, considers launching a nuclear torpedo
7. **A Soviet submarine, under attack by depth charges, considers launching a nuclear torpedo** [task; Soviet submarine; id `m7`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): One officer's refusal is often credited with stopping it
   - then A US spy plane is shot down over Cuba on Black Saturday
8. **A US spy plane is shot down over Cuba on Black Saturday** [task; Soviet leaders; id `m8`] ⚠ PAIN POINT (critical): The closest day to war
   - then Ignore the harsh letter and answer the calmer one
9. **Ignore the harsh letter and answer the calmer one** [task; United States leaders; id `m9`]
   - then Secretly promise to remove missiles from Turkey later
10. **Secretly promise to remove missiles from Turkey later** [task; United States leaders; id `m10`]
   - then Do the Soviets agree to remove their missiles?
11. **Do the Soviets agree to remove their missiles?** [decision; Soviet leaders; id `m11`]
   - if "Yes" go to The crisis ends and a hotline between the leaders follows; if "No" go to Ignore the harsh letter and answer the calmer one
12. **The crisis ends and a hotline between the leaders follows** [end; The world; id `m12`]
13. **Risk of a firefight at sea** [task; United States leaders; id `m5a`]
   - then Private talks begin while the military prepares for war

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_us["United States leaders"]
    n_m1(["A spy plane photographs Soviet missile sites being built in Cuba"])
    n_m2[["A small group of advisers debate the options"]]
    n_m3["Kennedy picks a naval blockade and calls it a quarantine"]
    n_m5a["Risk of a firefight at sea"]
    n_m6["Private talks begin while the military prepares for war"]
    n_m9["Ignore the harsh letter and answer the calmer one"]
    n_m10["Secretly promise to remove missiles from Turkey later"]
  end
  subgraph l_ussr["Soviet leaders"]
    n_m5{"Do Soviet ships turn back from the blockade line?"}
    n_m8["A US spy plane is shot down over Cuba on Black Saturday"]
    n_m11{"Do the Soviets agree to remove their missiles?"}
  end
  subgraph l_sub["Soviet submarine"]
    n_m7["A Soviet submarine, under attack by depth charges, considers launching a nuclear torpedo"]
  end
  subgraph l_world["The world"]
    n_m4["He tells the nation on TV and the world holds its breath"]
    n_m12(["The crisis ends and a hotline between the leaders follows"])
  end
  n_m1 --> n_m2
  n_m2 --> n_m3
  n_m3 --> n_m4
  n_m4 --> n_m5
  n_m5 -->|"Yes"| n_m6
  n_m5 -->|"No"| n_m5a
  n_m5a --> n_m6
  n_m6 --> n_m7
  n_m7 --> n_m8
  n_m8 --> n_m9
  n_m9 --> n_m10
  n_m10 --> n_m11
  n_m11 -->|"Yes"| n_m12
  n_m11 -->|"No"| n_m9
```

### The options the advisers weighed (detail of step "A small group of advisers debate the options")

Lanes:
- United States leaders: person / role (id `us`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Do nothing and accept the missiles** [start; United States leaders; id `o1`]
   - then Bomb the sites from the air
2. **Bomb the sites from the air** [task; United States leaders; id `o2`]
   - then Invade Cuba
3. **Invade Cuba** [task; United States leaders; id `o3`]
   - then Blockade first and keep the door open for talks
4. **Blockade first and keep the door open for talks** [end; United States leaders; id `o4`]

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_us["United States leaders"]
    n_o1(["Do nothing and accept the missiles"])
    n_o2["Bomb the sites from the air"]
    n_o3["Invade Cuba"]
    n_o4(["Blockade first and keep the door open for talks"])
  end
  n_o1 --> n_o2
  n_o2 --> n_o3
  n_o3 --> n_o4
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war",
  "maps": {
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "us",
          "name": "United States leaders",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "ussr",
          "name": "Soviet leaders",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "sub",
          "name": "Soviet submarine",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "world",
          "name": "The world",
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        }
      ],
      "steps": [
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        },
        {
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          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_options",
          "label": "A small group of advisers debate the options"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "task",
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            {
              "to": "m4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Kennedy picks a naval blockade and calls it a quarantine"
        },
        {
          "id": "m4",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "world",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "He tells the nation on TV and the world holds its breath"
        },
        {
          "id": "m5",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "ussr",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m6",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "m5a",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do Soviet ships turn back from the blockade line?"
        },
        {
          "id": "m5a",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Risk of a firefight at sea"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Private talks begin while the military prepares for war"
        },
        {
          "id": "m7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "sub",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m8"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "One officer's refusal is often credited with stopping it",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "A Soviet submarine, under attack by depth charges, considers launching a nuclear torpedo"
        },
        {
          "id": "m8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "ussr",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m9"
            }
          ],
          "pain": {
            "note": "The closest day to war",
            "level": 3
          },
          "uses": [],
          "label": "A US spy plane is shot down over Cuba on Black Saturday"
        },
        {
          "id": "m9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Ignore the harsh letter and answer the calmer one"
        },
        {
          "id": "m10",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "m11"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Secretly promise to remove missiles from Turkey later"
        },
        {
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          "kind": "decision",
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          "next": [
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              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "m9",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do the Soviets agree to remove their missiles?"
        },
        {
          "id": "m12",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "world",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "The crisis ends and a hotline between the leaders follows"
        }
      ],
      "title": "The Cuban Missile Crisis: 13 days on the edge of nuclear war",
      "parent": null
    },
    "m_options": {
      "id": "m_options",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "us",
          "name": "United States leaders",
          "type": "person"
        }
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      "steps": [
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          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
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            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Do nothing and accept the missiles"
        },
        {
          "id": "o2",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "o3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Bomb the sites from the air"
        },
        {
          "id": "o3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "o4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Invade Cuba"
        },
        {
          "id": "o4",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "us",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Blockade first and keep the door open for talks"
        }
      ],
      "title": "The options the advisers weighed",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "m2"
      }
    }
  }
}
```