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Cuban Missle Crisis

By Weinstein

  • Bay of Pigs Invasion

    Bay of Pigs Invasion
    US-backed Cuban exiles attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro's regime but are ultimately defeated.

  • Nuclear Missiles Deployed to Cuba

    Nuclear Missiles Deployed to Cuba
    Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev secretly decides to deploy nuclear missiles to Cuba, a strategic move to counterbalance the US nuclear weapons in Turkey and Italy.

  • United States Gets Alarmed

    United States Gets Alarmed
    US reconnaissance planes discover Soviet missile bases under construction in Cuba, triggering alarm in the United States.

  • Kennedy is Caught Up

    Kennedy is Caught Up
    President John F. Kennedy is briefed on the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and convenes the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) to discuss potential responses.

  • Kennedy Addresses Nation

    Kennedy Addresses Nation
    President Kennedy addresses the nation, revealing the existence of the missile sites and announcing a naval blockade

  • Navy Gets Involved?

    Navy Gets Involved?
    Soviet ships bound for Cuba approach the US naval blockade, raising fears of a direct confrontation. However, they eventually turn back, defusing the immediate crisis.

  • Khrushchev Letter to Kennedy

    Khrushchev Letter to Kennedy
    Khrushchev sends a letter to Kennedy proposing the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba in exchange for a US commitment not to invade the island. He also demands the removal of US missiles from Turkey.

  • U-2 Plane Shot Down

    U-2 Plane Shot Down
    The crisis reaches its most dangerous point when a US U-2 reconnaissance plane is shot down over Cuba. Major Rudolph Anderson is killed. Kennedy and Khrushchev engage in tense negotiations through backchannel communications to avoid further escalation.

  • Khrushchev Announces Withdrawal of Missiles

    Khrushchev Announces Withdrawal of Missiles
    Khrushchev publicly announces the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, effectively resolving the crisis. Kennedy agrees privately to remove US missiles from Turkey but does not disclose this part of the agreement.

  • The End

    The End
    The US confirms the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, and the crisis officially comes to an end.

  • Removal of US Missiles From Turkey

    Removal of US Missiles From Turkey
    The US publicly acknowledges the removal of its missiles from Turkey, fulfilling the secret agreement with the Soviet Union.