The closest the world has come to nuclear war was the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. The Soviets installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles.

The closest the world has come to nuclear war was the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. The Soviets

installed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of the United States. U.S. armed forces were at

their highest state of readiness. Soviet field commanders in Cuba were authorized to use tactical nuclear weapons if invaded by the U.S. The fate of millions literally hinged upon the ability of two men,

President John F. Kennedy and Premier Nikita

Khrushchev, to reach a compromise.

* April 17 1961, Americans attempt to invade Cuba to overthrow the Castro government; the failed Bay of Pigs invasion.

* Soviet felt threatened by the U.S. missiles in Turkey, so in April 1962, Khrushchev decided to place immediate-range missiles in Cuba.

* Castro accepted Khrushchev’s offer, and the Soviet Union began its buildup of offensive weapons in Cuba in mid-July.

* Soviets transport their weapons in civilian ships to Cuba, deny presence of offensive weapons in Cuba.

Site of the Invasion

Discovery

Day 1: Monday, October 15

United States U-2 jet photographs missile sites in Cuba.

Day 2: Tuesday, October 16

President Kennedy is shown the pictures. Military advisors discuss two options; air strikes and blockade. EX-COMM assembled.

President Kennedy created a group of advisors known as the Executive Committee of the United States National Security Council on October 16. This hand-picked group of 19 men helped Kennedy through the crisis.

Maintaining Secrecy

Day 3: Wednesday, October 17

U.S. military discovers that the missiles could reach as far as Washington state. Both the Soviets and the American public are unaware that the military knew of the missiles in Cuba.

Day 4: Thursday, October 18

Soviets completely deny that they have nuclear missiles in Cuba. EX-COMM proposes a blockade around Cuba, Kennedy remains undecided.

Day 5: Friday, October 19

Course of action against Cuba still undecided.

Decision

Day 6: Saturday, October 20

Kennedy cancels a campaign trip because of an “upper respiratory infection” to discuss the crisis with EX-COMM.

Day 7: Sunday, October 21

Kennedy decides on a naval blockade around Cuba. In his speech he would use the word “quarantine” instead of “blockade”, as a blockade is defined under national treaties as an act of war. U-2 flight that day revealed bombers and MiGs being rapidly assembled and cruise missile site being built on Cuba’s northern shore.

Kennedy Goes Public

Day 8: Monday, October 22

Kennedy addresses the nation. As he made his speech, jet fighters took off from Florida and headed towards Cuba.

Earlier Kennedy had sent Khrushchev a copy of his speech. Khrushchev was infuriated by what was, no matter what the Americans called it, an act of war.

Castro’s response to Kennedy’s speech was to mobilize all of Cuba’s military forces.

Eyeball to Eyeball

Day 9: Tuesday, October 23

Kennedy orders a low level reconnaissance mission to examine the sites closer.

Day 10: Wednesday, October 24

Soviet ships stop at the quarantine line, military alert raised to DEFCON 2 (Defense Condition Two).

The Ends of a Rope

Day 11: Thursday, October 25

Pictures shown at the United Nations proved that there were missiles in Cuba. The evidence was unmistakable.

Day 12: Friday October 26

A Soviet ship is boarded by U.S. quarantine forces. The ship is cleared to carry on to Cuba because there were no bombs on the ship.

Hints of a resolution begin to surface.

On the Brink

Day 13: Saturday,October 27

The worst day of the crisis. One U-2 was shot down, another flew off course over Russia,and a low-level reconnaissance mission was shot at over Cuba.

The only casualty of the crisis was the U-2 that was shot down.

Americans and Soviets prepare for nuclear war.

Day 14: Sunday, October 28

Soviets agree to move missiles out of Cuba if the United States makes a public statement not to invade Cuba.

The Crisis Ends

“In order to eliminate as rapidly as possible the conflict which endangers the cause of peace... in addition to earlier instructions on the discontinuation of further work on weapons constructions sites... given a new order to dismantle the arms which you described as offensive, and to crate and return them to the Soviet Union.” - Khrushchev to Kennedy

We must now devote urgent attention to the problem of disarmament, as it relates to the whole world and also to critical areas... we should give priority to questions relating to the proliferation of nuclear weapons, on earth and in outer space, and to the great effort for a nuclear test ban... also work hard to see if wider measures of disarmament can be agreed and put into operation at an early date. - Kennedy to Khrushchev

Results of the Conflict

Nine months after the crisis ended, Kennedy and Khrushchev signed an agreement to ban nuclear testing in the atmosphere.

Triggers efforts to stabilize relationship, with hotlines between the Kremlin and the White House, to prevent mix-ups caused by poor communications.

Unfortunately on November 22, Kennedy was assassinated, and eleven months later Khrushchev was overthrown by Communist hard liners.

One can't help but wonder what would have happened if these two men had stayed in power. Perhaps the same two people who brought us so close to nuclear war, now changed by that experience, could have brought us far from it.