Cuban Missile Crisis

In 1962, the world narrowly escaped nuclear holocaust during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The United States and the Soviet Union faced each other in a dispute over Soviet placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles off the coast of Florida.

There are several possibilities why the Soviets placed nuclear missiles in Cuba. First, the missiles could protect Cuba from possible U.S. military aggression. Second, the Soviets would gain a strategic advantage on the United States in case of global nuclear war. Finally, the missiles would counter the U.S. installation of missiles in Turkey, near Soviet territory, in 1959.

The U.S. government had an idea Soviets wanted to place missiles in Cuba for some time. However, it was not until August 29, 1962, that a U-2 spy plane confirmed this to President John F. Kennedy. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara proposed three courses of action for the United States. First, it could try to resolve the problem diplomatically by discussing it with the Soviets and the Cubans. Second, it could form an air and naval blockade around Cuba to prevent further shipments of missiles.  Finally, it could order an air strike to destroy the missiles and then invade Cuba.

Documents released 35 years later reveal that, unknown to both U.S. and Soviet leaders, Soviet field commanders in Cuba had complete authority to fire their missiles. In addition, U.S. military officials undertook several secret sabotage missions in Cuba, and an American aircraft accidentally strayed into Soviet airspace at the height of the crisis. Any of these situations could have triggered a nuclear war.