The Cuban Missile Crisis, also known as the October Crisis (1962) in Cuba, the Caribbean Crisis in Russia, or the Missile Scare, was a 35-day (October 16 – November 20, 1962) confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. It escalated into an international crisis when American deployments of missiles in Italy and Turkey. In response, the Soviet Union deployed similar ballistic missiles in Cuba. Despite the short time frame, the Cuban Missile Crisis remains a defining moment in American national security and nuclear war preparation. The confrontation is often considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale conflict, nuclear war. It began a series of clashes between atomic states, beginning with the Korean War and continuing with Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, South Sudan and Yemen.
Fidel Castro assumes power after the Cuban Revolution
Cuba openly aligns itself with the Soviet Union and their policies.
The U.S. terminates diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.
A group of US backed Cuban exiles, invades Cuba at the Bay of Pigs in what became a failed attempt to trigger an anti-Castro rebellion
Nikita Khrushchev and John F Kennedy held summit talks in Vienna, Austria with regards to the Cuban Missile Crisis
US Senator Kenneth Keating informs the US Senate that there is evidence of Soviet missile installations in Cuba
Soviet Foreign Minister, Andrei Gromyko, Makes a statement in which he warns that an attack by the USA on Cuba soil could mean war with the Soviet Union
An American U-2 spy plane flew over western Cuba and obtains photographs of Soviet missile sites being constructed.
The US Joint Chiefs of Staff strongly advised US President John F Kennedy to conduct an air strike based upon the evidence seen ( these discussions are referred to as the EX-COMM's briefings)
Andrei Gromyko who was the Soviet Minister of Foreign Affairs (1957–1985) assures Kennedy that all Soviet Cuban aid had been delivered only for the "defensive capabilities of Cuba."
US Congressional leaders are shown the photographic evidence collected by the U-2 spy plane, the Soviet missile installations in Cuba and the President addresses the nation in a televised broadcast regarding the Cuban crisis
The U.S. military is forced to raise its Defence Condition to level 3 (DEFCON 3)
Kennedy receives a letter from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev in which Khrushchev states that there is a, "serious threat to the peace and security of peoples." Robert Kennedy speaks with Ambassador Dobrynin
A fleet of Soviet ships, en-route to Cuba, reverse their course except for one. This forces the US Military to raise its Defence Condition. We are now at DEFCON 2
US President John F Kennedy sends a letter to Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev. In this letter Kennedy placed the responsibility for the crisis on the Soviet Union
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev sent a letter to US President Kennedy proposing to remove his missiles if Kennedy publicly announces never to invade Cuba.
An American U-2 Spy Plane is shot down over Cuba. The pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson was killed.
A U-2 Spy Plane strayed into Soviet airspace, near Alaska, the U-2 is nearly intercepted by Soviet fighters.
US President John F Kennedy sends Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev a letter in which he states that he will make a statement that the U.S. will not invade Cuba if Khrushchev removes the missiles from Cuba
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced on Radio Moscow that he has agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba
In return the US has agreed to the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey. These actions brought to an end the Cuban Missile Crisis
