Cuban missile crisis

• Cuban Revolution


  The socialist government of Fidel Castro took power in Cuba in 1959, solidifying ties with the Soviet Union.
• Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev

  The Soviet leader who made the decision to place nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles in Cuba.
• Nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles


  The type of weapons deployed by the Soviet Union in Cuba, posing a direct threat to the United States.
• US Response


  The US response to the discovery of the Soviet missile deployment, considering it a threat to its national security.
• Leak of Information


  A U-2 spy plane spotted the Soviet Union building missile sites in Cuba, informing the US government and President Kennedy.
• Kennedy's Decision


  President Kennedy imposed a naval quarantine on Cuba to prevent the Soviet Union from shipping more missiles or troops to the island.
• Key Dates


  October 22, 1962: Kennedy announces the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba and the quarantine; October 27, 1962: Soviet ships carrying missiles approach the quarantine line.
• US-Soviet Standoff


  Both the US and Soviet Union scrambled their fighter jets to the coast, preparing for a potential aerial battle, and fears of a nuclear war escalated.
• Resolution


  Kennedy demanded the Soviet Union dismantle the missile sites and withdraw its troops from Cuba, leading to a resolution of the crisis.
• Cuban President Fidel Castro


  Fidel Castro was not involved in the decision to deploy the missiles, but supported the Soviet Union's actions.
• Secret Meetings

  Kennedy and Kennedy held secret meetings with Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin to smooth out the crisis.
• Airlift


  A US airlift operation removed the dismantled missile sites from Cuba, marking the end of the crisis.
• Aftermath

  The crisis led to a decrease in US-Soviet tensions, increased international cooperation, and a greater focus on diplomacy.
• US-Soviet Relationship (1960s-1970s)


  A period of intense competition and rivalry, punctuated by periods of détente and cooperation, but marked by the cold war mentality.
• Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis


  A complex web of factors, including Soviet fears, US-Soviet tensions, the Cuban Revolution, and Kennedy's hardline stance, contributed to the crisis.
• Khrushchev's Image in the USSR


  A complex and multifaceted image, reflecting his popularity, reform efforts, anti-Stalinist stance, and national hero status.
• Khrushchev's Image in the USSR

  A complex and multifaceted image, reflecting his charisma, simplistic style, anti-Stalinist stance, national pride, and cult of personality.
• USSR's Response to Khrushchev after the Cuban Missile Crisis


  A complex and tumultuous period marked by loss of trust, internal power struggles, and eventual replacement of Khrushchev by Leonid Brezhnev.
• Khrushchev's Key Mistakes


  A list of significant errors, miscalculations, and missteps that contributed to Khrushchev's downfall and the erosion of Soviet power.