Cuban Missile Crisis

Quick Facts: Who was Cuban Missile Crisis?

Subject:

Cuban Missile Crisis

Known for:

The 13-day confrontation in October 1962 between the US and USSR over Cuba.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis in Cuba (Spanish: Crisis de Octubre), or the Caribbean Crisis (Russian: Карибский кризис, romanized: Karibskiy krizis), was a 13-day confrontation between the governments of the United States and the Soviet Union, when American deployments of nuclear missiles in the United Kingdom, Italy and Turkey were matched by Soviet deployments of nuclear missiles in Cuba. The crisis lasted from 16 to 28 October 1962. The confrontation is widely considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into full-scale nuclear war. In 1959, the US government deployed Thor nuclear missiles in England, an initiative known as Project Emily. In 1961 the US put Jupiter nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey.

Career & Major Achievements

All were within range of Moscow. The US had also trained a paramilitary force of Cuban expatriates, for a CIA-led attempt to invade Cuba and overthrow its government in April 1961. Starting in November of that year, the US government engaged in a violent campaign of terrorism and sabotage in Cuba, referred to as the Cuban Project, which continued throughout the first half of the 1960s. The Soviet administration was concerned about a Cuban drift towards China, with which the Soviets had an increasingly strained relationship. In response to these factors the Soviet and Cuban governments agreed, at a meeting between leaders Nikita Khrushchev and Fidel Castro in July 1962, to place nuclear missiles on Cuba to deter a future US invasion.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Construction of launch facilities started shortly thereafter. A U-2 spy plane captured photographic evidence of medium- and long-range launch facilities in October. US president John F. Kennedy convened a meeting of the National Security Council and other key advisers, forming the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM). Kennedy was advised to carry out an air strike on Cuban soil in order to compromise Soviet missile supplies, followed by an invasion of the Cuban mainland. He chose a less aggressive course in order to avoid a declaration of war.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1959: 1959 Milestone — In 1959, the US government deployed Thor nuclear missiles in England, an initiative known as Project Emily.
2. 1961: 1961 Milestone — In 1961 the US put Jupiter nuclear missiles in Italy and Turkey.
3. 1962: 1962 Milestone — The crisis lasted from 16 to 28 October 1962.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Cuban Missile Crisis

True or False: “The initial deployment of U.S. nuclear missiles in Turkey was publicly announced to the Soviet Union as part of a treaty negotiation.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The agreement for dismantling US offensive weapons in Turkey was a secret deal negotiated between Kennedy and Khrushchev.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. K. Fazlul Huq — Historical peer (Died in 1962) (1962): Pakistani statesman and jurist, known as Sher-e-Bangla, a founding father of Pakistan.
• Abdullah II of Jordan — Historical peer (Born in 1962) (1962): King of Jordan, a Hashemite monarch who assumed the throne in 1999.
• Abraham Flexner — Historical peer (Died in 1959) (1959): Pioneering American educator known for reforming US and Canadian medical and higher education.
• Ahlam Mosteghanemi — Historical peer (Born in 1959) (1959): Pioneering Algerian poet and novelist, celebrated for her evocative Arabic literature.
• Aaron Sorkin — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Master of fast-paced dialogue, known for 'walk and talk' storytelling.
• Abderrahmane Sissako — Historical peer (Born in 1961) (1961): Mauritanian-born Malian film director known for themes of globalization and exile.

Frequently Asked Questions about Cuban Missile Crisis