Answer:The **Cuban Missile Crisis** was a **13-day confrontation** between the United States and the Soviet Union in October 1962⁵. It was a major confrontation that brought the two superpowers to the brink of war⁵. The crisis began when the United States discovered that the Soviet Union had placed nuclear-armed missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from U.S. shores⁵. The U.S. government considered this a direct threat to national security and demanded the removal of the missiles⁵. The crisis ended when the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba and the secret removal of American nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy⁵.
The Cuban Missile Crisis is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous moments in human history, as it brought the world closer to nuclear war than ever before⁵. The crisis was resolved through intense negotiations between U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev⁵. It marked a turning point in the Cold War and led to several important developments, including the establishment of a direct communication hotline between Washington, D.C., and Moscow to prevent future misunderstandings⁵.