Cuban Missle Crisis

Castro takes power

Jan 1, 1959

Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba after the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba & Soviet Union

Dec 19, 1960

Cuba becomes allies with the Soviet Union.

Cuba & US

Jan 3, 1961

The United States ends all diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Kennedy vs. Castro

Apr 12, 1961

President Kennedy promises to not intervene and help overthrow Castro.

Bay of Pigs

Apr 17, 1961

Supported by U.S. a group of Cuban exiles invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs hoping to start an anti-Castro rebellion. The invasion was a failure.

World War III?

Jul 27, 1962

Castro announces that Cuba is taking measures that would make any attack on the U.S. the equivilant of another world war. He says the Soviet Union has invested greatly in helping defend his country.

Missles

Aug 31, 1962

Senator Keating tells the Senate there is evidence of Soviet missiles in Cuba. Keating urges Kennedy to take action.

Kennedy takes action

Oct 9, 1962

Kennedy orders a U-2 reconnasissance flight over Cuba and they discover the missiles.

Nothing can stop them

Oct 21, 1962

Kennedy is told by General Maxwell Taylor that an air strike cannot guarantee to destroy all the missiles.

Compromise

Oct 26, 1962

Khrushchev, the leader of the USSR, sends a letter to Kennedy stating that he will remove the missiles if the U.S. pubicly announces they will never invade Cuba.

The threat has passed

Oct 28, 1962

Khrushchev announces over a radio in Moscow that he has decided to remove the missiles in Cuba. The Cold War was a war without bloodshed. The Cuban missile crisis impacted the relationship between the Soviet Union and United States. It was the closest confrontation we had with them and it almost caused us to enter into war.