The Cuban Missile Crisis was a political and military standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union in October 1962, during the Cold War. The origins of the crisis can be traced back to the differing aims of the two superpowers in relation to Cuba.
The United States had been pursuing policies aimed at isolating Cuba since it became communist in 1959. In January 1961, the U.S. broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba and imposed a trade embargo. The U.S. also supported anti-Castro forces in their attempts to overthrow the government.The Soviet Union, on the other hand, saw Cuba as an ally and wanted to protect its interests there. In May 1962, Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev secretly ordered the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba, as a deterrent against a possible U.S. invasion.
These differing aims led to a dangerous situation, as the U.S. became aware of the missile deployment and demanded their removal. The U.S. imposed a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent further Soviet ships from delivering missiles, leading to a tense standoff that lasted for several days.Ultimately, the crisis was resolved through a combination of diplomacy and brinkmanship, with the Soviet Union agreeing to remove the missiles in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba and to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey.