The Cuban Missile Crisis

In 1961, the US unsuccessfully tried to overthrow Cuba's new communist government
The failed attempt was then named the ‘Bay of Pigs’
The attempt convinced Cuba to seek help from the USSR
They were happy to comply and secretly deployed nuclear missiles to Cuba to protect the island and counter-attack US missiles from Italy and Turkey
When the US found out, it was already too late
On Oct 12, 1962, at a meeting military advisors urged an airstrike on missile sites and an invasion of the island.
President Kennedy chose a more careful approach. On Oct 22 he announced the US navy would intercept all shipments to Cuba.
However, a naval blockade was considered an act of war. But the president called it a quarantine because they didn’t stop the shipment fo basic needs
In an outraged letter to Kennedy Kruschev wrote ‘the violation of freedom to use international waters and international airspace is an act of aggression which pushes mankind towards the abyss of world missile nuclear war.’
Following the letter, the next 6 days were…

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