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62. McCone, Memorandum to USIB Members, 19 October 1962 October 19, 1962 MEMORANDUM TO USIB MEMBERS: A discussion among the principals on October :18th indicated a probable decision, if any action is taken against Cuba, to initiate a limited blockade designed to prevent the importation into Cuba of additional arms. To do this the United States.would make such state - ments concerning a condition of war as is necessary to meet the legal : requirements of auch a blockade, but a formal “declaration of war against Cuba" would be avoided if possible and resorted to only if absolutely necessary. . : The blockade could be extended at our discretion to include POL and possibly a total’ blockade’ if Castro persisted in the offensive build-up. a Continued surveillance would go'forward so that we would know of the siutation within Cuba as it evolved. . The blockade would start poseibly on Monday, following a public announcement by the President which would include a display of photographic intelligence, persuasive notification to our Allies among the Soviets and the Cubans, but with no prior consultations with our Allies or any Latin Americans unless it proved necessary for legal reasons to assemble the OAS and secure-the necessary approval to invoke the Rio Pact. ° : More extreme steps such as limited air strike, comprehensive air strike, or military invasion would be withheld awaiting develop- ments. The possibility of more extreme actions has not been dismissed, however initiating such actions was considered unwise. 193