We titled the Antigua conference "Cuba between the Superpowers," and the flags on the wall and the set up of the conference table reflected this. The Cuban delegation was on the back side of the rectangular conference table, with the US delegation on the right, the Russian delegation on the left, and US scholars across from them.

We selected Antigua as the site of this conference because of the symbolism of its location -- close to Cuba, but not yet there -- and because Tom Watson, the founder of the Watson Institute, had a vacation house there. On the night before the last session -- when we would discuss whether we would go to Havana -- Tom hosted a reception for all conference participants and observers. Here is Tom (seated) in the living room of his house that was once a sugar mill, talking with General William Y. Smith, Tania Darusenkova (in the chair) and Natalie Latter.

Will there be a conference in Havana? This was the big question. In the view of most members of the US delegation, the Cubans were stonewalling -- they were not even admitting actions that were in the public record. This did not bode well for a frank and honest exchange happening in Havana. Many were ready to call it quits. BUT, we were most lucky that our main colleague on the Cuban organizing committee was Jose Antonio Arbesu -- a person who not only understood the value of Cuban participation in critical oral history conferences about the crisis, but a person with whom we could be brutally honest about the obstacles to a conference in Havana. Here, while others were enjoying the hospitality at Tom Watson's lovely estate, Jim, Jose Antonio and janet discuss the problems and work on a plan to get us to Havana.

This is perhaps one of the most misleading pictures in our albums. It looks as if everyone is happy and having a wonderful time. They were -- briefly -- but for the most part, this conference was the most contentious conference on the missile crisis. But here, at the end, there were smiles. And the hands -- why is everyone raising his/her hand? During the conference we had to have simultaneous interpretation for all remarks. But the booths in which the interpreters worked were not elevated and so they had great difficulty knowing who was speaking. Therefore, we instituted the rule that "if you wanted to talk, you had to raise your hand."