1962: Cuban Missile Crisis

DATE: October 14-28, 1962

DESCRIPTION: Upon noticing Soviet missiles in Cuba, the US decided to perform a military blockade on Cuba. They demanded that the Soviets dismantle the missile bases already under construction and return all offensive weapons back to the USSR. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev and US President John F. Kennedy commenced a series of secret negotiations via letter, and eventually reached an agreement: the Soviets would publicly dismantle their offensive weapons in Cuba and return them back to the USSR in exchange for a US public declaration and agreement to never invade Cuba.

BLAME: The main blame for this event would probably fall on Fidel Castro, as his alliance with the USSR is what started this whole event. The blockade happened in the first place because the Soviets armed Cuba in hopes that it would deter any future invasion event. They wouldn’t have done this if the US hadn’t tried to invade and overthrow the Cuban regime during events such as the Bay of Pigs and Operation Mongoose. However, they would not have done this, either, if Fidel Castro did not decide to ally with the USSR and make Cuba communist. Therefore, we place the main blame for this event on Fidel Castro in Cuba.

TENSION INCREASE: Tensions during the Cuban Missile Crisis increased greatly because this was the closest the West and the East came to an actual war. US/Soviet nuclear missiles were stationed close enough in Turkey/Cuba to the USSR/US respectively that both countries, or even the whole world could have wiped out if this had escalated to the point where these atomic weapons were used. Because of this, this event was considered the height of the Cold War. +3

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