Cuban Missile Crisis

In October 1962, American spy planes discovered that the Soviet Union was secretly installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from Florida. President John F. Kennedy demanded their removal and imposed a naval blockade (called a "quarantine") around Cuba. For 13 terrifying days, the world stood on the brink of nuclear war as Soviet ships carrying more missiles approached the blockade. Behind the scenes, intense negotiations took place. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev ultimately agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a U.S. promise not to invade Cuba and a secret agreement to remove American missiles from Turkey. The crisis led both sides to establish a direct communication "hotline" between Washington and Moscow, and it spurred the first nuclear test ban treaty in 1963.

Key Takeaways