Cuban Missile Crisis - Causes, Timeline & Significance | HISTORY

Original Article

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, the leaders of the United States and Soviet
Union were in a tense standoff for 13 days over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. Cuba is an
island country just 90 miles from Florida in the United States.

On October 22nd, 1962, President John F. Kennedy told Americans on television about the
Soviet missiles in Cuba. He explained his decision to create a naval blockade, or circle of
ships, around Cuba. Kennedy also said the US was ready to use military force if needed to
remove the threat. Many people were scared that nuclear war could start.

The US didn't want the Soviet missiles in Cuba because they could reach targets in the
eastern US very quickly. If the missiles became operational, it would change the balance of
nuclear power between the US and USSR, which had been in America's favor. Soviet leader
Nikita Khrushchev hoped putting missiles in Cuba would increase the USSR's ability to launch
nuclear strikes. He also wanted to deter, or stop, further US attacks on Cuba like the failed
Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961.

Kennedy and his advisers, called the ExComm, knew the missiles had to go. But they wanted
to remove them without starting a wider conflict or nuclear war. After much debate,
Kennedy chose a blockade of Cuba to stop more Soviet weapons from arriving by ship. He
also gave the Soviets an ultimatum that they must remove the existing missiles.
On October 27th, tensions rose when an American spy plane was shot down over Cuba. An
invasion force prepared in Florida. People thought it might be the last weekend of peace. A
similar sense of danger was felt by leaders on both sides.

Despite the high stakes, Soviet and American leaders found a solution. Khrushchev offered to
remove the Cuban missiles in exchange for a US promise not to invade. He also privately
proposed pulling out US missiles in Turkey. Officially, Kennedy only accepted removing the
Cuban missiles. But privately the US also agreed to withdraw missiles from Turkey. On October
28th, the crisis ended peacefully.

Both countries established a direct communication line after this close call. They also signed
treaties about nuclear weapons. However, the crisis convinced the Soviets to strengthen
their long-range nuclear missiles, keeping tensions high during the Cold War.