The Cuban Missile Crisis
Learn about the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 — the thirteen-day nuclear standoff between the US and Soviet Union that brought the world closer to annihilation than ever before.
The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 was the closest humanity has ever come to nuclear war. For thirteen days, the United States and the Soviet Union stood at the brink of annihilation over the placement of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from American shores. The crisis tested the nerves and judgment of leaders on both sides and, through a combination of diplomacy, restraint, and sheer luck, ended without catastrophe.
The crisis began when American U-2 spy planes photographed Soviet missile installations under construction in Cuba. President Kennedy chose a naval 'quarantine' of Cuba rather than an air strike — a decision that preserved room for negotiation while demonstrating resolve. Behind the scenes, frantic diplomacy unfolded. Soviet submarines armed with nuclear torpedoes confronted the American blockade. Individual officers made decisions that could have started World War III.
The crisis was resolved when Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for an American pledge not to invade Cuba and a secret agreement to withdraw US missiles from Turkey. The near-catastrophe prompted both sides to establish the 'hotline' between Washington and Moscow and to pursue arms control agreements. The Cuban Missile Crisis remains the defining case study in nuclear brinkmanship and crisis management — a reminder that the survival of civilization once hung on the decisions of a few individuals.