This Day in History: <br />Cuban Missile Crisis October 22, 1962 In a grave televised speech, <br />President John F. Kennedy <br />announced that U.S. spy planes <br />had discovered Soviet missile bases in Cuba. These missile sites housed <br />medium-range missiles <br />capable of striking a number <br />of major U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C. Kennedy <br />announced that <br />he was ordering a <br />naval “quarantine” of Cuba. Its purpose was to prevent <br />Soviet ships from transporting <br />any more offensive weapons to the island. Kennedy threatened the <br />use of military action to <br />end a “clandestine, reckless, <br />and provocative threat to world peace.” During the next six days, <br />the world was on the brink <br />of nuclear war between <br />the two superpowers.
