The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of the turning points of the Cold War.  This was the
closest that the world has ever come to a nuclear war.  On October 16, 1962, President John
F. Kennedy was informed that the Russians were building secret missile sites in Cuba, which
is 90 miles off the shore of Florida.  A U-2 reconnaissance aircraft revealed the SS-4 nuclear
missiles.  Then on October 22, President Kennedy went on national television and informed
the world of this.  "This government, as promised, has maintained the closest surveillance of
the Soviet military buildup on the island of Cuba. Within the past week, unmistakable evidence
has established the fact that a series of offensive missile sites is now in preparation on that
imprisoned island. The purpose of these bases can be none other than to provide a nuclear
strike capability against the Western Hemisphere." -- John F. Kennedy
    In order to prevent the Soviet Union from bringing more missiles, materials, and such into
Cuba, President Kennedy ordered that Cuba be under a naval quarantine, or naval blockade,
and he told Russian Premier Nikitas Khrushchev to remove all the missile bases.  Khrushchev
then ordered his Soviet field commanders in Cuba, that if they were invaded by U.S. forces, to
launch their tactical nuclear weapons.  Eventually, after a long and tense seven days,
Khrushchev finally decided to give in and he made orders to stop the construction of the
missile sites.

     October 22:  President John F. Kennedy informed the nation of what was going on with
     the crisis.  Castro mobilized Cuba's military forces.

     October 23:  Naval vessels were in place by the end of the day and Soviet missiles were
     poised for launch.

     October 24:  Soviet ships had reached the quarantine line but then they received orders
     over the radio to hold their positions.

     October 25:  Soviets at the U.N. were confronted by the U.S. Ambassador Adlai
     Stevenson, but they refused to answer.

     October 26:  Premier Nikitas Khrushchev sent EX-COMM, saying that the Soviets would
     remove their missiles, only if President Kennedy would announce over the radio that he
     wouldn't invade Cuba.

     October 27:  Khrushchev again made another deal, he told President Kennedy to
     announce that he would remove their missile bases from Turkey.

     October 28:  Khrushchev announce over Radio Moscow the dismantling of the Soviet
     missiles in Cuba.  He ordered all Soviet ships away from Cuba and agreed to remove all
     the missiles from Cuba.  The Crisis was over.