This Day in History: Cuban Missile Crisis
- 5 years ago
This Day in History:
Cuban Missile Crisis October 22, 1962 In a grave televised speech,
President John F. Kennedy
announced that U.S. spy planes
had discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites housed
medium-range missiles
capable of striking a number
of major U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C. Kennedy
announced that
he was ordering a
naval “quarantine” of Cuba. Its purpose was to prevent
Soviet ships from transporting
any more offensive weapons to the island. Kennedy threatened the
use of military action to
end a “clandestine, reckless,
and provocative threat to world peace.” During the next six days,
the world was on the brink
of nuclear war between
the two superpowers.
Cuban Missile Crisis October 22, 1962 In a grave televised speech,
President John F. Kennedy
announced that U.S. spy planes
had discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites housed
medium-range missiles
capable of striking a number
of major U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C. Kennedy
announced that
he was ordering a
naval “quarantine” of Cuba. Its purpose was to prevent
Soviet ships from transporting
any more offensive weapons to the island. Kennedy threatened the
use of military action to
end a “clandestine, reckless,
and provocative threat to world peace.” During the next six days,
the world was on the brink
of nuclear war between
the two superpowers.