With the Missile Crisis over, it was time for the President to step back and analyze what had happened. What did he learn about the Soviets, Castro, and the Damoclean sword of nuclear war? He also needed to forge a path forward for American foreign policy. Would the U.S. continue to ascribe to a practice of containing Communism from spreading? Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. was a Special Assistant to the President, as well as the unofficial historian of the Kennedy administration. On October 29th, he provided a Memorandum to John F. Kennedy in which he credits what went right, including unity among Americans behind the President, the United Nations as an avenue for diplomacy, the support of the OAS (Organization of American States), and Premier Khrushchev's recognition that things had gone too far. As you read Schlesinger's postmortem, what long-term lessons does he offer? In his final point, what does he hope this will pave the way for?
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