On October 16, 1962, President John F. Kennedy was shown aerial photographs taken by a U-2 reconnaissance flight that confirmed the presence of Soviet medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missile sites under construction in Cuba. The discovery marked the opening of what became known as the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense, 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union that is widely regarded by historians as the closest the Cold War came to full-scale nuclear war. Background Tensions between Washington and Moscow had been rising for years. After the failed Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961 and subsequent U.S. attempts to counter Castro’s Cuba, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev began to view the island both as an ally and as a strategic location to alter the balance of nuclear forces. The Soviets sought to deploy medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles to Cuba that could strike much of the continental United States, while also providing a deterrent for Cuba against further U.S. intervention. Discovery and Immediate Response U-2 photographic evidence of launch pads, fuel-storage areas, and transport-erector-launchers was presented to President Kennedy on October 16. The administration formed an executive committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) to consider options ranging from a diplomatic approach to a full-scale invasion. Kennedy rejected immediate airstrikes and invasion as initial responses, instead instituting a naval “quarantine” (blockade) around Cuba on October 22 to prevent further delivery of offensive weapons. Public Revelation and Diplomacy On October 22 Kennedy addressed the American public, revealing the presence of Soviet missiles in Cuba and announcing the quarantine. He demanded removal of the weapons and declared that any nuclear missile launched from Cuba would be considered an attack by the Soviet Union requiring a full retaliatory response. The announcement heightened global fear of imminent war and prompted frantic communications between Washington and Moscow across diplomatic and back-channel lines. Crisis Management and Close Calls Throughout the crisis both superpowers engaged in high-stakes maneuvering. U.S. naval forces intercepted and turned back some Soviet ships carrying military cargo. Meanwhile, reconnaissance flights over Cuba continued to monitor the missile sites. Several incidents during the standoff—miscommunications, aggressive patrolling, and isolated incidents such as Soviet ships approaching the quarantine line—brought the two sides perilously close to armed conflict. The crisis unfolded under the constant risk of escalation amid imperfect information and rigid military postures on both sides. Resolution The crisis began to de-escalate after intense negotiation. Secret and public communications culminated in a deal: the Soviet Union would dismantle and withdraw its offensive missiles and associated equipment from Cuba, in exchange for a U.S. public declaration and agreement not to invade Cuba. Privately, the United States also agreed to remove U.S. Jupiter medium-range ballistic missiles from Turkey and Italy at a later date; that element of the agreement was initially kept secret. By late October and into November 1962 the missile sites in Cuba were dismantled and removed under international inspection. Aftermath and Significance The Cuban Missile Crisis had immediate and long-term consequences. It prompted both superpowers to establish direct crisis communication—most notably the Washington–Moscow “hotline”—and spurred later arms-control efforts, including the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty. The episode highlighted the dangers of nuclear brinkmanship, the importance of reliable intelligence and communication, and the potential for back-channel diplomacy in resolving existential confrontations. Historians continue to study the crisis using declassified materials from U.S., Soviet, and Cuban archives. While core facts—such as the October 16 photographic discovery and the subsequent blockade and negotiations—are well established, debates persist over the roles of individual actors, the extent and timing of secret concessions, and how narrowly the two powers avoided nuclear war.