jan 1, 1961 - Cuban Missile Crisis

Description:

- US attempted to overthrow Cuba's communist government (this was called the Bay of Pigs)
- convinced Cuba to seek help from the USSR
- Soviets gave missiles to Cuba to protect them
- JFK decided that all shipments to Cuba would be intercepted by the navy
- this was taken as an act of aggression by the Soviets in a letter to JFK
- 6 days ensued where the US urged them to be removed, and the Soviets insisted they were defensive

October 27th 1962 - a US spy plane was shot down, and a nuclear-armed Soviet submarine was hit by a small American depth-charge to urge it to surface (on the same day)
- sub thought war had begun and readied a nuclear torpedo (which was suspended by one officer)
- after discussions - the US agreed to remove their nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy, and not to invade Cuba again - if if the Soviets left Cuba under UN supervision

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