Italy in the European Security System During the Cuban Missile Crisis
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Abstract
At the end of the 1950s, Italy allocated American nuclear-tipped Jupiter missiles in its territory. This action was beneficial for both sides: the USA strengthened the system of defense of its European NATO allies without allocating a large number of troops, while Italy significantly increased its status in the international arena. However, it turned out to be a short-lasting project: on April 1, 1963, Jupiters were removed from Italy. At the time many suspected a connection between this event and the Cuban Missile Crisis, which had occurred several months earlier, even if no evidence were available to the public.
In 2023, National Security Archive in the USA published a two-part article, written by William Burr and Leopoldo Nuti, which is dedicated to the removal of Jupiter missiles from Italy and Turkey in 1963. Each part of the article is backed by several dozens of archival documents, some of which were classified until recently. These publications allow us state with full confidence that the removal of the Jupiters was part of an implementation of the secret agreement between the USA and the USSR that was reached during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The goal of this article is to trace the impact of the deal on the position of Italy in the European security system.
New evidence shows that the decision to remove the Jupiters was not a direct order from Washington to Rome. Instead, it was a several-month process of reaching a compromise, which involved high-ranking officials from both sides, including US President John Kennedy and Italian Prime Minister Amintore Fanfani. US government provided Italy with an adequate replacement in the form of Polaris missiles that were located on warships and submarines in the Mediterranean instead of Italian soil which strengthened Italy’s safety and security. However as a result of the deal, Italy lost a part of its weight in the European security system, and in international relations in general.
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References
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