Final answer:
The main events of the Cuban Missile Crisis included the discovery of Soviet missile installations in Cuba, a US-imposed naval blockade and diplomatic negotiations, and a peaceful resolution with the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba and American missiles from Turkey.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a significant event in Cold War history, marked by three main events:
- Discovery of missile installations: On October 14, 1962, American intelligence gathered aerial photographs showing Soviet intermediate-range and medium-range ballistic nuclear missiles in Cuba. This discovery triggered a confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union, with global nuclear war as a possible outcome.
- Naval quarantine and diplomatic negotiations: President John F. Kennedy responded by placing a naval blockade (referred to as a 'quarantine' for legal purposes) around Cuba to prevent the delivery of more missiles. This led to intense negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union, which took place amid the risk of escalating military conflict.
- Resolution and missile removal: The crisis reached a head when US and Soviet ships met at sea, but ultimately, diplomacy prevailed. Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles from Cuba, and in a secret agreement, the United States promised to later remove its missiles from Turkey, thereby resolving the standoff peacefully.
These events unfolded over the course of thirteen days in October 1962, bringing the world perilously close to nuclear war before a resolution was reached.