Final answer:
The Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962 was a tense standoff between the US and USSR, initiated by Soviet nuclear missiles being placed in Cuba. It was resolved with a U.S. naval blockade and an agreement to remove missiles from both Cuba and Turkey, preventing a possible nuclear war.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a significant event during the Cold War, marking a tense diplomatic confrontation in October 1962 between the United States, the Soviet Union, and Cuba. The crisis unfolded when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed with Cuban leader Fidel Castro to install nuclear missiles in Cuba, which led to a dangerous standoff with the United States.
This precipitated a 13-day period where the world was on the brink of nuclear war. However, after intense negotiations, a deal was struck where President John F. Kennedy and Khrushchev agreed to remove nuclear missiles from areas close to each other's borders, with the USSR withdrawing missiles from Cuba and the US later removing missiles from Turkey.
The seriousness of the crisis was highlighted by the presence of tactical nuclear missiles already on Cuban soil, with Russian commanders authorized to launch in case of an invasion. The United States responded with a naval blockade of Cuba, which eventually led to the Soviet Union agreeing to dismantle its missile installations. The resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis is considered a triumph of diplomacy over military confrontation.