Unlocking the Secrets of the Chiefs' Room: The Dino Crisis Code

The year was 1962, and the world was on the brink of nuclear war. The Cuban Missile Crisis had reached its peak, with tensions escalating between the United States and the Soviet Union. Amidst this chaos, a group of top military officials gathered in the Chiefs' Room to discuss the crisis. Little did they know that their notes from that fateful day would one day be released to the public, revealing the inner workings of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The October-November 1962 notes, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, provide a unique glimpse into the decision-making process of the JCS during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The transcripts reveal a series of miscalculations and errors that pushed the world to the edge of disaster.

One such error was the order to send low-level reconnaissance planes over Cuba, which would later raise the stakes of nuclear war. Castro had already ordered his anti-aircraft crews to fire on U.S. planes, and the Soviet ambassador in Havana was closeted with Fidel Castro at the Soviet embassy, dictating a message to Khrushchev.

As the situation escalated, the JCS meeting on October 27 became a six-and-a-half-hour marathon of crises. Human error, miscalculation, and reckless deployment of nuclear weapons ruled the day. The Soviet Union was convinced that an American invasion was imminent within 24-72 hours, prompting Khrushchev to recommend a preemptive strike.

Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., John Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev were racing against time to find a solution. The most dangerous 24 hours of the Cuban Missile Crisis came on Saturday, October 27, as the U.S. and Soviet Union teetered on the brink of war.

The JCS notes from that day reveal the intense diplomatic efforts that took place behind the scenes. The transcripts show how Kennedy and Khrushchev worked together to find a solution, ultimately agreeing to a deal that would stop events from spiraling out of control.

Today, 60 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis, we can look back on those fateful days with a mix of relief and trepidation. The Chiefs' Room code, once shrouded in secrecy, is now open to the public, providing a unique window into the decision-making process of the JCS during one of the most critical moments in modern history.

Source:

* National Security Archive

* Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting notes, October-November 1962

* FOIA Advisory Committee Oversight Reports

Dino crisis chiefs room code