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Cuban Missile Crisis
In October of 1962, United States Intelligence found that the  Soviet Union was
constructing nuclear missile bases in Cuba that were capable of attacking the United
States, and much of Latin America. When confronted the Soviet Union denied that the
missiles were offensive, though aerial photographs proved that they were.
During a somber television address Kennedy condemned the Soviet Union for
lying and placed all ships going to Cuba under quarantine. If any offensive weapons would
be found the ships would be turned back. The President further annunciated that any
missile launched from Cuba on to anywhere in the Western Hemisphere would be seen as an
attack by the Soviet Union, and the United States would respond against the Soviets.
 President
Kennedy called for the prompt dismantling and removal of any offensive weapons in Cuba.
Tense days followed when much of the nation witnessed Soviet ships heading toward
American blockade. Finally, after a series of letters and negotiations
with Kennedy, Soviet Premier Khrushchev agreed to dismantle the missile sites and return
all nuclear weapons if the United States would promise Castro that they would not invade
Cuba.
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