How Much Do You Know About the Cuban Missile Crisis?

The crisis occurred in 1962, just as President Kennedy was gathering momentum with his administration. The crisis became one of the scariest moments of the 20th century.

The U.S. learned that the USSR was in the process of installing nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the American coast. The revelation startled U.S. citizens all over the country.

Cuba's leader, Fidel Castro, requested the missiles from the USSR. Why? He wanted prevent the U.S. from invading his country.

Castro was a Communist who aligned himself with the USSR and its leader Nikita Khrushchev. The U.S. wanted to remove Castro and install a government that was friendlier to American interests.

In 1961, C.I.A.-trained Cuban exiles stormed Cuba in hopes of sparking an uprising. The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a total failure that gave the Americans a round of humiliating headlines across the world.

The Kennedy Administration couldn't run an effective campaign if Americans knew about the missiles heading for Cuba. So the administration denied the missiles' existence for months, until the election was much closer.

In 1961, the U.S. deployed nukes in Turkey and Italy, far too close for the comfort of Soviet leaders. It's one reason the USSR felt emboldened to send missiles to Cuba, which would help the Soviets shift the balance of nuclear weapons.

At the core of the crisis were ICBMs or intercontinental ballistic missiles, which were able to carry nuclear warheads for hundreds or thousands of miles. ICBMs in Cuba meant that the USSR could attack and destroy major U.S. cities in very little time.

The crisis happened during the Cold War, in which the U.S. and USSR stared each other down in various places around the world. The missile kerfuffle was probably the scariest moment of the entire Cold War.

JFK and his handsome face appeared on TV and gravely informed America that the Soviets were sending missiles to Cuba. He said that the U.S. would not tolerate the missiles so close to their soil.

President Kennedy appeared in a television address and stated that the missile problem was real. But he also said that the U.S. had a plan of action to deal with the Communist threat -- a naval blockade.

Once the news became public, the U.S. had to do something. Officials sent the Navy to implement a strong blockade of Cuba. Suddenly, the effective blockade meant that the country was cut off from the USSR and the rest of the world.

Kennedy's men considered much more drastic action, like bombing the missile sites or even a full-on invasion of Cuba. In the end, Kennedy opted for a blockade, which prevented an immediate escalation into violence.

Many Americans went into freak-out mode during the crisis, anticipating a nuclear attack of some sort. They hoarded food and water and hoped that the world wasn't about to end.

The U.S. routinely sent spy planes high over Cuban territory. The planes captured images of the missile sites on the little island.

Kennedy aimed to stop any new missile shipments. He also demanded that the USSR take back any missiles it had already installed in Cuba.

Khrushchev figured that Kennedy was too spineless to stand up to the Soviets in Cuba and that he'd never risk war. Instead, JFK threw down the gauntlet and dared the Soviets to challenge him.

The missiles on Cuba were no joke. If the Communists opted to launch them, much of America's East Coast would be fire and ashes in just minutes. And back then, New Jersey was worth saving, so JFK was forced to do something.

On October 14, U.S. officials confirmed the worst-case scenario. Not only did the Cubans have missiles, but they were building missile launching sites, too, meaning it wouldn't be long before the ICBMs were ready for action.

The U.S. Navy blockaded all military assistance from reaching Cuba. But it didn't stop food items or other products necessary for civilians.

Krushchev had no intentions of backing down. He said his ships were heading to Cuba and that any U.S. interference would be regarded as an act of aggression.

During the crisis, as tensions escalated, the U.S. Strategic Air Command went to DEFCON 2, the second-highest alert level. Only one other time (during the Persian Gulf War) has America's SAC reached DEFCON 2.

Anderson was using his U-2 spy plane to monitor activities on Cuba when he was shot down by surface-to-air missile. He was killed, the only U.S. fatality of the crisis.

Castro was sure that the U.S. was going to invade his country. He asked he USSR to launch a preemptive strike on America … but fortunately, cooler heads prevailed in Soviet quarters.

In contrast to the U.S., the Soviet air force did almost nothing during the crisis, perhaps understanding that the ships loaded with missiles were already provocation enough.

The crisis escalated to terrifying heights, worrying families and politicians the world over. After 13 days, the two sides finally deescalated the situation.

For one month, the U.S. blockade of Cuba slowly but surely ramped up tensions in the area. Finally, on November 21, the blockade (and the crisis) was ended.

The Kennedy Administration successfully pressed the USSR to remove its missiles from Cuba. In return, the U.S. (very publicly) announced that it would never invade Cuba again.

In a book titled "The Cold War," by Martin Walker, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was quoted as saying, “I thought it was the last Saturday I would ever see." His ominous words show that even top-level U.S. officials were worried that the situation was spiraling out of control.

After the crisis, the U.S. and USSR installed the Moscow-Washington hotline, a direct line between the two cities. The idea was to provide much faster communication in the event of another crisis. But if there's a busy signal? BOOM.