One of the most significant international crises of the 20th century was the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. This crisis was a 13-day confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over the placement of nuclear missiles in Cuba. The crisis began when the United States discovered that the Soviet Union had secretly placed nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the US mainland. The US responded by imposing a naval blockade of Cuba and demanding the removal of the missiles. After a tense standoff, the Soviet Union agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a US promise not to invade Cuba.
