The choices

• There was three possible way of action for Kennedy to react to the audacity of Khruschev
• 1. Kennedy's first choice was a nuclear strike on sites. But the USSR would almost certainly strike back
• The second choice was a conventional bombing followed by an invasion .This would almost certainly lead to a fighting with the Soviet troops already on Cuba and start a war
• The third and last choice was a naval blockade to stop the USSR from transporting more missiles to Cuba and to force them to remove those already there. This carried the last risk of war.