The Cuban Missile Crisis as a Turning Point in USA and USSR

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The Cuban Missile Crisis as a Turning Point in USA and USSR

The Cuban Missile Crisis was indeed a turning point in USA and Soviet

relations during the Cold War. The event stands in history as one that

nearly brought humanity to the brink of destruction and is known as

perhaps the single greatest political battle between the two

superpowers, the world has ever seen. It also started a détente that

which instigated an end to the arms race between the two nations.

Following the Cuban Missile Crisis the two leaders, Kennedy and

Khrushchev, found a new respect for each other, and this laid the

foundations for a strengthened understanding between the two

countries. Yet above all things it caused the nations to realise their

capabilities and become more aware of the consequences their Cold War

could have on society not only at the present time, but for years to

come.

Since the Cuban Revolution of 1959 led by Fidel Castro, tension

between the United States and Cuba had been rising. America's

dominance in Cuban economic affairs was stemmed as Castro seized

foreign owned properties and businesses. Castro saw his own actions as

an attempt to establish 'a socialist and democratic revolution of the

poor, by the poor and for the poor.' Fearing a communist regime so

close to its borders, the United States reaffirmed its total

opposition to such a government and launched both a trade embargo and

an invasion in an attempt to overturn the Castro government. Known as

the landing at 'the Bay of Pigs', it is here Kennedy perhaps makes his

greatest blunder during his presidency, as the failure of the attack

caused many, even within his party, to bel...

... middle of paper ...

...and in history as the event that took

the world to the brink of nuclear warfare. Yet amongst that, the

crisis dramatically strengthened USA and USSR relations during the

Cold War. Its eventual ending marked the relaxation between the

conflicting nations and formed an unusual respect between both Kennedy

and Khrushchev. Both these effects laid the foundations for

strengthened relations between the two Cold War countries' leaders.

Yet above all things, the Cuban Missile Crisis was a vital turning

point in US and USSR relations as it made both nations realise their

actions could sculpt the lives of millions of not only the present but

also future generations. If not for the good judgment of Kennedy and

the prudence of Khrushchev that lead to the stronger affiliations,

society as we know it would be dramatically different.

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