“Never before or since has the survival of human civilization been at stake in a few short weeks of dangerous deliberations” (Chomsky). The Cuban Missile Crisis was the first time two Cold War superpowers, the United States and the Soviet Union reached its peak of a possible nuclear war in October 1962. A mere two weeks played a crucial role in international politics when President John F. Kennedy was informed of a U-2 spy-planes discovery of Soviet nuclear-tipped missiles in Cuba. President Kennedy resolved that this was unacceptable and demanded the withdrawal of the weapons. Over a period of thirteen days, Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev confronted each other.
Both Kennedy and Khrushchev had the power of mutual destruction, and a war would have meant the “death of 100 million Americans and over 100 million Russians” (Roberts 204). The Cuban Missiles Crisis was a vital piece of world history given the danger of the nuclear war that could prompt the devastation of the world. Humanity was at a standstill and seemingly on the brink of nuclear war. Therefore, it is exceptionally captivating to distinguish what occurs before the crisis, the actual emergency, and how crises management can result in a solution.
