October 1962Reputable sourceWell documented
The Cuban Missile Crisis
On the timeline · around October 1962 ·
What happened
US spy planes discovered Soviet nuclear missile sites under construction in Cuba. President Kennedy imposed a naval 'quarantine' of the island, and for thirteen days the superpowers stood on the brink of nuclear war. The crisis ended when the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a US pledge not to invade Cuba and the secret removal of US missiles from Turkey.
Why it matters
The closest the world came to nuclear war, the crisis frightened both sides into steps to reduce tensions, including a Washington–Moscow hotline and a test-ban treaty.