Cuban Missile Crisis

1962

On 16 October 1962, President Kennedy was shown reconnaissance photos captured by an American U2 spy plane of Soviet weapons installed in Cuba. After one week of debate on US policy, Kennedy publicly announced this discovery, in addition to the US naval blockade of Cuba in order to stop any Soviet ships. Over the next week, Khruschev and Kennedy exchanged a series of letters on intentions and resolutions. On 28 October, Kennedy agreed to Khruschev?s personal request for the dismantling of Soviet missiles in exchange for assurances that the US and its proxies would not invade Cuba, thereby ending the threat of nuclear war.