Prelude and Soviet deployment
U.S. pressure on Castro's government and fears of another invasion helped shape the Soviet decision to deploy nuclear-capable missiles to Cuba under Operation Anadyr.
Cold War · October 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis Timeline 1962
Explore records covering the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba, Kennedy's ExComm deliberations, the naval quarantine, Soviet and Cuban decision-making, military deployments, United Nations diplomacy, U-2 reconnaissance and the negotiated withdrawal.
195
database records
Historical overview
Thirteen days of confrontation: missiles, quarantine, diplomacy and nuclear risk
The archive follows the secret Soviet deployment through U-2 discovery, White House deliberations, the naval quarantine, U.N. confrontation, the dangerous final weekend and the withdrawal agreement.
U-2 discovery
U-2 reconnaissance on 14 October photographed missile installations near San Cristóbal. The images were analysed and brought to the White House, where Kennedy's advisers began secret deliberations.
ExComm and the quarantine
Officials debated air strikes, invasion and diplomacy before Kennedy selected a naval quarantine. On 22 October he publicly announced the missile discovery and demanded removal of the offensive weapons.
United Nations and back channels
Adlai Stevenson challenged Soviet denials at the Security Council while formal messages and private contacts involving Robert Kennedy, Dobrynin, Scali and Feklisov explored settlement terms.
Black Saturday
On 27 October a U-2 was shot down over Cuba, submarine B-59 faced signalling depth charges, another U-2 strayed over Soviet territory and Moscow publicly linked settlement to U.S. Jupiter missiles in Turkey.
Settlement and verification
Khrushchev announced missile withdrawal on 28 October. Dismantlement and verification continued into November, and Kennedy ended the naval quarantine on 20 November after agreement on Soviet IL-28 bombers.
1962 14th OctoberU-2 photographs missile sites
1962 16th OctoberKennedy briefed; ExComm begins
1962 18th OctoberKennedy meets Gromyko
1962 22nd OctoberTelevised address and quarantine
1962 24th OctoberQuarantine line confrontation
1962 25th OctoberStevenson at the U.N.
1962 27th OctoberBlack Saturday
1962 28th OctoberKhrushchev agrees to withdraw missiles
1962 20th NovemberU.S. quarantine lifted
Historical photographs
Reconnaissance evidence, ExComm and United Nations diplomacy
Public-domain U.S. government and military images are stored locally for stable display, with the original Wikimedia Commons source pages retained for provenance.
Permanent subject pages
Explore the crisis by day, decision, diplomacy and person
These crawlable pages are generated from the same 195-record archive. Each combines historical context with matching chronology records rendered as static HTML.
Operation Mongoose and Invasion FearsThe failed Bay of Pigs legacy, covert pressure on Cuba and Soviet-Cuban fears of another invasionOperation AnadyrThe secret Soviet deployment of missiles, troops, aircraft and equipment to CubaU-2 Reconnaissance and Missile DiscoveryAerial photography, intelligence analysis and the confirmation of Soviet offensive missile sitesExComm DeliberationsWhite House debate over air strikes, invasion, diplomacy and naval quarantine16 October 1962: ExComm BeginsKennedy is informed of the missile sites and secret White House deliberations begin18 October 1962: Kennedy Meets GromykoKennedy confronts Soviet assurances while keeping U.S. intelligence secret20 October 1962: Kennedy Chooses the QuarantineThe White House moves away from an immediate air strike toward a naval quarantine22 October 1962: Kennedy's Address and Quarantine AnnouncementThe United States publicly reveals the missile sites and demands their removal23 October 1962: Quarantine ProclamationThe legal and military machinery of the U.S. naval quarantine is put into effect24 October 1962: The Quarantine LineSoviet shipping approaches the U.S. interception zone as military readiness rises25 October 1962: Stevenson Confronts Zorin at the United NationsAdlai Stevenson presents missile evidence to the U.N. Security Council26 October 1962: Khrushchev's First Letter and Back-channel DiplomacyA possible settlement emerges through messages and unofficial contacts27 October 1962: Black SaturdayU-2 incidents, submarine danger, competing Soviet messages and maximum nuclear risk28 October 1962: Missile Withdrawal AgreementKhrushchev announces that the Soviet missiles in Cuba will be dismantled and removedNaval Quarantine of CubaU.S. naval interception operations and the effort to stop further offensive weapons deliveriesUnited Nations DiplomacySecurity Council confrontation, U Thant mediation and international efforts to prevent warKennedy–Khrushchev Letters and Back-channel DiplomacyThe messages, unofficial contacts and private bargaining that helped resolve the crisisJupiter Missiles in Turkey and the Secret SettlementThe hidden connection between Soviet missiles in Cuba and U.S. Jupiter missiles in TurkeyMilitary Escalation and Nuclear RiskAir-strike planning, invasion preparations, DEFCON 2, U-2 incidents and submarine dangerMissile Dismantlement and VerificationRemoving Soviet offensive weapons and proving that the deployment was being reversedIL-28 Bomber Removal and the End of the QuarantineThe final dispute over Soviet bombers and Kennedy's decision to lift the quarantineUnited States Response to the Cuban Missile CrisisPresidential, intelligence, diplomatic and military decision-making in WashingtonSoviet Union and the Cuban Missile CrisisKhrushchev, Soviet military deployment, diplomacy and withdrawal decisionsCuba and Fidel Castro during the Missile CrisisCuban security concerns, deployment cooperation and Castro's role in the crisisJohn F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe U.S. president's decisions from intelligence discovery to quarantine and settlementRobert F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Attorney General's role in ExComm and the secret Dobrynin negotiationsFidel Castro and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Cuban prime minister's role in deployment, defence and the final days of the crisisNikita Khrushchev and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Soviet leader's decision to deploy missiles and his eventual withdrawal agreementJohn McCone and CIA IntelligenceCIA assessment of Soviet intentions, missile evidence and site readinessRobert McNamara and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe U.S. Defense Secretary's role in quarantine operations and military planningDean Rusk and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Secretary of State's diplomatic role during the confrontationMcGeorge Bundy and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe National Security Advisor who briefed Kennedy and participated in ExCommAdlai Stevenson at the United NationsThe U.S. representative who publicly challenged the Soviet Union over the Cuban missilesMaxwell Taylor and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during military planningAnatoly Dobrynin and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Soviet ambassador at the centre of the secret Washington channelRodion Malinovsky and Operation AnadyrThe Soviet defence minister involved in the secret military deploymentLlewellyn Thompson and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe former U.S. ambassador to Moscow who advised Kennedy on KhrushchevTheodore Sorensen and the Cuban Missile CrisisKennedy's special counsel and a central participant in drafting and crisis deliberationsAnastas Mikoyan and the Cuban SettlementThe senior Soviet official sent to Cuba during the withdrawal phaseAndrei Gromyko and the Cuban Missile CrisisThe Soviet foreign minister who met Kennedy during the secret phaseSergei Biryuzov and the Cuban Missile DeploymentThe Soviet strategic rocket commander involved in assessing and preparing the deployment
Showing all Cuban Missile Crisis records.
195 records displayed
Sources and editorial review
Sources and further reading
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
The historical overview provides context for the site's 195 structured Cuban Missile Crisis records. The chronology preserves the database's stored dates, people, countries, places, events and descriptions.
Last reviewed: September 2026.