Final answer:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was sparked by Castro's request for Soviet military support to prevent another U.S. invasion, leading to the Soviet installation of nuclear missiles in Cuba, which was a critical factor in the escalation.
Step-by-step explanation:
One of the factors that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis was Fidel Castro's request for Soviet assistance to deter a possible future U.S. invasion following the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. The Soviets responded by installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, precipitating one of the Cold War's most dangerous confrontations.
The Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense diplomatic face-off in October 1962 between the U.S., the U.S.S.R., and Cuba, occurred when the U.S. discovered Soviet missile installations on Cuban soil. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev engaged in a delicate negotiation, which thankfully concluded with the mutual agreement to remove the nuclear missiles stationed near each other's nations, avoiding a catastrophic nuclear conflict.