The Cuban Missile Crisis Roleplay Unit

One of the most dramatic moments of the 20th Century and a particularly exciting topic to teach and to study! This unit is based around extended roleplay activities firstly from the Soviet, then from the American, perspectives. Students gain a thorough understanding not just of the events but also about the role of particular individuals and develop an appreciation of how close the world came to nuclear holocaust in 1962 – and who (if anybody) deserves credit for their handling of this terrifying crisis.

US Roleplay Part 1 (one hour): The Initial Response
Student Worksheet | Roleplay Cards | Concluding Write-Up
In this roleplay, attention shifts back to the USA. Each student takes the role of a member of EX-COMM, and prepares a statement arguing for a course of action in response to Khrushchev’s policy regarding Cuba. The teacher notes outline how the debate should be managed by the teacher (in role as Kennedy). The rolecards have been carefully written so that the students do not simply learn about the policy of each key character (invaluable for a source-based examination), but also learn about the relationship between the individuals concerned. After watching two short video clips about Kennedy’s final decision (links provided within the worksheets), students produce a concluding write-up reflecting on how effectively he dealt with the initial stage of the crisis.