On October 22, 1962, United States President John F. Kennedy announced a “quarantine” of Cuba, in retaliation for the discovery of Soviet missiles on the island. The world held its breath as tensions between the two superpowers escalated to the brink of nuclear war.
Maj. Richard Heyser had been sitting 14 miles above the Earth for 5 hours. Soaring at the edge of space, he flew from northern California, monitoring the situation below with a keen eye. The fate of millions rested on the delicate negotiations between the US and the Soviet Union.
Fall 2002, Vol. 34, No. 3 Kennedy Library Observes Fortieth Anniversary of Missile Crisis In a televised address on October 22, 1962, President Kennedy made a plea to the American people for calm and unity during this critical time. The world watched as the leaders navigated the treacherous waters of international diplomacy.
Washington D.C., October 17, 2022 - In a secret “eyes only” memorandum for John F. Kennedy, written 60 years ago today at the outset of the crisis, top advisors outlined the potential consequences of a misstep in handling the delicate negotiations. The fate of the world hung in the balance as the leaders grappled with the high-stakes game of brinkmanship.
After Fidel Castro's death Friday evening, the condolences of North American leaders began to roll in. President Obama described the Cuban dictator as 'a controversial figure who played a pivotal role in the events leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis. His passing marks the end of an era, but the legacy of the crisis lives on in the annals of history.
William Burr and Leopoldo Nuti examine the Kennedy Administration's efforts to remove Jupiter missiles from Turkey and Italy, part of a secret quid pro quo agreement with Khrushchev to de-escalate tensions in Cuba. The delicate negotiations behind the scenes were crucial in averting a catastrophic nuclear conflict.
For approximately 13 days in October 1962, beginning on October 16, the world stood on high alert amidst a crisis of unprecedented proportions. The Cuban Missile Crisis brought the US and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear war, with the fate of humanity hanging in the balance.
The beginning of 2021 marks a prominent time in the world of arms control. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) enters into force, signaling a renewed commitment to global disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. The lessons of the Cuban Missile Crisis serve as a stark reminder of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear conflict.
Murphy's Law holds that if anything can go wrong, it will. On Saturday, October 27, 1962, the twelfth day of the Cuban missile crisis, tensions reached a fever pitch as the US and the Soviet Union teetered on the brink of all-out war. The delicate dance of diplomacy had never been more crucial in averting disaster.
