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United States President John F. Kennedy ordered a blockage of Cuba to prevent the Soviet Union from delivering nuclear missiles to the island.
Time Frame
Kennedy ordered the blockade against Cuba on Oct. 21, 1962 and the blockade lasted until Oct. 28, 1962.
Size
U.S. intelligence had taken pictures the Soviets building 40 ballistic missile sites capable of launching a nuclear missile in Cuba.
Effects
After strenuous negotiations, the Russians agreed to remove the missile sites from Cuba in exchange for Kennedy removing missile sites from Turkey.
Geography
The close proximity of Cuba to the United States would have allowed the Russian nukes to hit targets in the United States, including Washington, D.C.
Significance
The Cuban Missile Crisis is regarded as the closest the two superpowers came to starting a nuclear war during the Cold War.
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