Cuban Missile Crisis (oct 16, 1962 – oct 28, 1962)

Description:

-Soviet nuclear missile sites in Cuba spotted by USA

-US naval blockade placed on Cuba

-USSR said it would ignore blockade - ships sailed towards Cuba, but turned back when they reached blockade zone

-confrontation between USA/USSR - closer to nuclear war (MAD) than ever before

-crisis averted: missiles removed from Cuba (Castro furious - removal of protection that USSR had promised), US promise not to invade Cuba, unannounced removal of US missiles from Turkey

-consequences: both sides recognised danger of brinkmanship, future agreements on nuclear weapons (e.g. bans), Castro publicly announced socialism/communism, Cuba-USSR relationship soured, end of baby boom (fear of nuclear war - future of humanity)

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