The Cuban Missile Crisis

By fudalud

  • USA impose embargo VS Cuba

    Kennedy banned all trade with Cuba under concerns that the Communists were profiting from the American market.

  • America places Nuclear Weapons in Turkey

    This is seen as a severe aggression by the USSR, and a serious threat

  • Americans begin to train in the Carribean

    This is seen by some as escalation and preparation for an invasion.

  • Soviet advisers tell Castro to have Nukes on island

    They claim that the US is planning another invasion. They recommend that Castro keeps nukes in case he is attacked.

  • First missiles arrive in Cuba

    Reports start arriving in the US

  • Surveillance notices missile launchers in Cuba

    Frequent High-altitude U2 missions notice launchers. Kennedy is informed

  • Ex-Comm formed

    A special group of advisors formed to deal with the crisis

  • Kennedy announces the missiles to the public

    He states that they will quarantine the island, and that any missile launched from Cuba will be seen as an attack on the US from the USSR

  • Kennedy ordered military to prepare to invade Cuba

    Over 125,000 soldiers were prepared for an invasion

  • Blockade begins

    Soviet ships com every close to the blockade zone. Turn around at 10.32AM

  • USA goes to DEFCON 2

    Nuclear war is seen as the next step and is VERY likely

  • U2 photography reveals that work is continuing on missile bases

  • Khrushchev proposes to remove missiles

    Khrushchev sends a letter to the US saying he'll remove the missiles if they do not invade Cuba and lift the blockade

  • U2 Shot down over Cuba, Khrushchev sends a second letter

    Piloted by Rudolf Anderson. Shot down by soviet-supplied missile.
    Second letter says that Soviets will remove missiles from Cuba if Americans remove missiles from Turkey.

  • Krushchev announces missiles will leave Cuba

    He trusts that the USA won't invade Cuba. Said to be "in order to eliminate as rapidly as possible the conflict which endangers the cause of peace"