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Throughout the 1940s and \'50s, the Caribbean island of Cuba had been a playground for the United States. Cuban land and industry were almost entirely owned by U.S. corporations. But after years of guerrilla fighting against the dictatorship of Cuban leader Fulgencio Batista, revolutionary forces headed by Fidel Castro entered Havana in January 1959.
Castro made U.S. industries on Cuba in the value of 1 Mia. Dollars to his own. Eisenhower therefore stopped e.g. all exports of Cuban sugar into the USA. But on every punishment Eisenhower chose, the Soviets knew the right answer (e.g. they took the sugar which America didn't take). So Cuba became more and more communist. That was a condition, America could not bear. So they developed a plan to release a revolution in Cuba. When America's new president John F. Kennedy gave his O.K., everything went wrong. Only 6 bombers supported the revolt and damaged, believe it or not, 3 jets! 1500 trained Cubans landed in the "bay of pigs". 100 died, 14 have been rescued and there was no revolt. It was an embarrassing disaster.
During a walk at the bay of Warna, Chrustchew recognized, that over the Black Sea, rockets are stationed in Turkey, which would be able to eliminate Minsk, Kiew and Moskow. So why shouldn't he do exactly the same with America? Cuba would be the perfect location. This would make it possible to protect Cuba against American aggressions and secure an atomic equilibrium.
The rockets were placed under strictest secrecy and not even the Soviet Ambassadors didn't know of it.
Kennedy founded the ExComm (Executive Comitee of the National Security Council) which had the task to solve the Cuban Problem as fast as possible. All possibilities were considered (for example an massive air strike) and a sea-blockade was decided.
On October the 22nd, 7.00pm, the whole world watched Kennedy's speech on TV. In this speech, Kennedy requested Crustchew to withdraw his missiles from Cuba.
The U.S army was set on Defcon-2. Defcon-1 would mean World War III. 25000 Marines were pulled together and 100000 soldiers were stationed in Florida. 2 huge aircraft carrier were moved to Cuba. The beginning of an invasion.
On October the 27th the world was "a push of a button" away from a Nuclear World War. An U2-jet was shut down over Cuba and the standard plan would be a retaliatory strike. But Kennedy did nothing. This was the first step for peace. Few hours remained and although Kennedy's advisors were ready for war, he took the next step for peace and accepted Crustschew's offer: If America would pull back their missiles in Turkey and cancel the sea-blockade, the USSR will pull back their missiles in Cuba.
Cruschtschow commentated this act as a victory of the common sense.
The world wasn't only at the edge of a war, mankind was on the edge of an Armageddon! If there had not been such intelligent and deliberated presidents, cold war would possibly have turned into a hot war.
The first step out of the cold war.
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