Question

Explain the ‘Cuban Missile Crisis’.

Answer 1

In April 1961, the leaders of USSR were worried that USA would invade Cuba and overthrow Fidel Castro, the President of the small nation. Thus, to prevent USA from capturing Cuba, the Soviet Union sent missiles to the island and made it their military base. The US President John F. Kennedy came to know about this information after three weeks. He and his advisers were unwilling to do anything which might lead to a full-fledged nuclear war. However, he also wanted to take some action which would not keep them under any threat from USSR. He thus ordered American warships to intercept any Soviet ships heading to Cuba as a way of warning the USSR of his seriousness.

A clash was bound to arise between the two nations. This clash came to be known as Cuban Missile Crisis. This made the whole world nervous as this crisis could lead to a nuclear war. However, the world felt a sign of relief when the Soviet Union decided to slow down and turn back from Cuba. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the peak of the Cold War.