Cuban Missile Crisis
The US and USSR entered a tense 13-day standoff over Soviet missiles in Cuba
October 16, 1962
Thirteen Days From the Brink
On October 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy was shown U-2 spy plane photographs revealing Soviet nuclear missile launch sites under construction in Cuba — just 90 miles from Florida. The missiles, once operational, could strike most major US cities with almost no warning. Kennedy assembled a secret group of advisors and spent 13 days navigating the most dangerous nuclear standoff in history, weighing options that ranged from diplomatic negotiation to all-out war.
The Decisions That Mattered
Kennedy chose a naval blockade of Cuba and demanded the Soviets remove their missiles. Soviet ships loaded with more missiles were heading toward the blockade line. Soviet submarines — unknown to the US — were nearby, armed with nuclear torpedoes. One submarine, B-59, lost contact with Moscow, came under US depth charge attack, and its captain ordered a nuclear torpedo fired. Two officers agreed. A third, Vasili Arkhipov, refused. His veto may have prevented nuclear war.
The Resolution
After secret negotiations, the Soviets agreed to remove their missiles from Cuba. The US secretly agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey and to pledge not to invade Cuba. The crisis revealed how close both sides had come to accidental nuclear war and led directly to the creation of the Moscow-Washington hotline — a direct communication channel between the superpowers to prevent future misunderstandings. The date calculator shows those 13 days were just two weeks that nearly ended the world.