October 16, 1962 · Global Theater
October 16, 1962
On October 14, 1962, a U-2 spy plane photographed Soviet medium-range ballistic missile sites under construction in Cuba. For thirteen days — October 16–28 — the world stood closer to nuclear war than at any other moment in history. Kennedy imposed a naval 'quarantine' on Cuba, Khrushchev threatened retaliation, Soviet submarines armed with nuclear torpedoes maneuvered near the blockade line, and American nuclear forces went to DEFCON 2 for the only time in history. The crisis resolved when Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a secret U.S. pledge to remove Jupiter missiles from Turkey and a public pledge not to invade Cuba.
Commanders