You had a lesson on the Cuban Missile Crisis (CMC) a few weeks ago. It is a good example because we know now what really happened in 1962. It was very different from what most history books say - and what most people still believe now - 50 years later.
How do we know? US President John F. Kennedy (JFK) made secret sound tapes of all of the meetings of his Executive Committee, “ExComm1” which met almost all the time during the CMC. It helped JFK make decisions about what to do. The tapes were kept secret until 1997.
Here is a short summary of what people knew at the time, in October 1962
1. 16 October 1962:
2. 22 October 1962
3. 26 October 1962
An American U-2 “spy airplane” took pictures of the Soviets building missile sites and military airports in Cuba.
On TV, JFK told the American people that they were in great danger from the new Soviet nuclear (=atom bomb) missiles and bomber airplanes in Cuba, just 90 miles away from Florida. JFK demanded the Soviets remove them. JFK ordered a “naval blockade” of Cuba, which means that the American Navy would not let any ships carrying weapons go to Cuba. A naval blockade is very serious and in international law is an “act of war”. The US had (almost) declared war on the SU.
Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, sent a telegram to JFK, saying he would remove the missiles and bomber airplanes from Cuba if the US would (1) stop the naval blockade and (2) promise never to try to attack or invade Cuba again. JFK agreed on 28 October and the CMC was over.