Shown above, Naval Blockade, http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a direct and dangerous confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War and was the time when we came closest to nuclear warfare. During the Cuban Missile Crisis the leaders of the US and the USSR got tied up in a 13-day political standoff on October 1962 because of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. In a TV warning advisory on October 22, 1962, JFK informed the public about the missiles. He told them about his plan to make a naval blockade to show that we were ready to defend. On October 14, 1962 an American U2 spy plan discovered that the Cubans were assembling Soviet SS-4 ballistic missiles. Three of the missile sites are shown down below. Cuba is a communist country only 90 miles off Florida’s coast. These missiles would be able to reach the United States which would drastically change the military view of the world. This meant that Cuba was in range to hit most of the US and majority of Central America.
The President kept his normal routine so that the public was not aware of the danger of a nuclear war. They sent out additional planes to recover more photos, 16-32 missiles were found. On October 22 President Kennedy called for the former presidents of the US, including Hoover, Truman, and Eisenhower to tell them about the missiles so they could help advise him. They thought that he should attack Cuba, but instead he decided to make a naval blockade to stop anymore incoming Soviet supplies.
Fidel Castro didn't play a big role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, he agreed to having the missiles there, but that was about it. Did you know there has been at least 338 released assassination attempts by the CIA alone?
1,2,and 3 are the missile sites and 4 is a quote from JFK. 5 is a map of Cuba.