Final answer:
Khrushchev's first response to the naval blockade was to turn back the Soviet ships, a critical step towards the peaceful resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nikita Khrushchev's first response to the naval blockade during the Cuban Missile Crisis was to reverse the course of the Soviet ships headed for Cuba. This move was a significant step in the peaceful resolution of the conflict, as the world watched anxiously. The blockade had been imposed by President Kennedy to prevent Soviet ships carrying additional missiles from reaching Cuba.
Eventually, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missile sites from Cuba in a much-famed agreement where Kennedy promised that the United States would not invade Cuba and would secretly remove its missiles from Turkey. This secret concession by the US was part of a strategic move to de-escalate tensions without showing weakness.
The crisis, which brought the superpowers to the brink of nuclear war, was resolved without direct military confrontation, highlighting the importance of diplomacy during this critical period of the Cold War.