Primary Sources

The World on the Brink, John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

Presented by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, this site looks at the thirteen days in detail, building a picture of the complex time through primary source materials including speeches, presidential recordings, and maps.

Cuban Missile Crisis, Original Historic Sources

Harvard University's Kennedy School has collected the primary source materials available to the Kennedy Administration allowing modern viewers to better understand the crisis. Links include photographs, documents, and audio and video clips.

Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962: The 40th Anniversary

George Washington University's National Security Archive presents a collection of primary sources including recent declassified documents.

Secondary Sources

The Real Cuban Missile Crisis

The Atlantic Magazine reviews the events surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis and what misconceptions the American public may hold.

Maga, Timothy. "Lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis: October 1962 -December 1963."1960s. Facts On File, 2003. American History Online. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

An excerpt of Facts on File's 1960s, this chapter focuses on the Missile Crisis and the influence of the choices made on future government policy.

"The Cold War Continued: The Cuban Missile Crisis." //American Decades//. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. //Gale Virtual Reference Library//. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

This passage from American Decades 1960-69, provides a careful look at the events of the thirteen days to assist students in understanding the complexities of the crisis.