A tense 13 days that nearly sparked nuclear war, reshaping global deterrence and crisis diplomacy.
The crisis nearly started because a misdated photo of Soviet missiles caused a 13-minute delay in a critical meeting.
Khrushchev privately preferred a secret, gradual withdrawal plan that avoided direct confrontation with the United States.
A US warning system once misidentified a flock of birds as incoming missiles, prompting a costly scramble.
The crisis ended with a back-channel deal letting the U.S. secretly dismantle its own missiles in Turkey within weeks.
A tense 13 days that nearly sparked nuclear war, reshaping global deterrence and crisis diplomacy.
The crisis nearly started because a misdated photo of Soviet missiles caused a 13-minute delay in a critical meeting.
Khrushchev privately preferred a secret, gradual withdrawal plan that avoided direct confrontation with the United States.
A US warning system once misidentified a flock of birds as incoming missiles, prompting a costly scramble.
The crisis ended with a back-channel deal letting the U.S. secretly dismantle its own missiles in Turkey within weeks.
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