In 1962, the world was under the threat of a nuclear war between the two military giants, its consequences would have led to the destruction of most of the territory of the Soviet Union and about a third of the territory of the United States.
April 1961, US troops land in Cochinos Bay, Cuba to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro. As the operation failed, Castro feared that the United States would make another attempt at intervention and turned to the Soviet Union for military assistance.
The leader of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev, together with the leadership, came to the conclusion that the most effective way of protection would be the deployment of nuclear weapons in Cuba. The reason for this decision was the fact that around the USSR - in Turkey and Italy - the United States deployed missiles with nuclear warheads, which could reach targets on the territory of the USSR in 5-10 minutes. Soviet intercontinental missiles on US territory - in 25 minutes.
Already in October 1962, the operation was started. It was named "Anadyr". This is the name of the city in the north of the Russian Federation, and then - the USSR. All the soldiers were dressed in civilian clothes, it was strictly forbidden to apply in a military manner, and all in order to maintain the complete secrecy of the operation, and pass it off as something else.
Operation Anadyr.
To mislead the Americans, military exercises were announced in the North. A large number of the Soviet military were disguised as agricultural advisers, who were given appropriate uniforms.
Operation Anadyr was declassified thanks to secret aerial photographs of LockheedU-2 reconnaissance aircraft flying to secret CIA facilities. In response, US President John F. Kennedy announced a naval blockade of the island of Cuba, which provided for a search of all ships heading to the island in order to prevent Soviet troops and weapons there.
But at the last moment (three hours before a possible US strike on Cuba), both sides found a compromise. The agreement consisted in mutual concessions of both countries: the USSR is taking missiles from Cuba and allowing UN inspectors there, and the United States dismantles its missiles in Turkey within six months and does not attempt a coup in Cuba.
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President Kennedy was pleased with the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba on November 20, 1962. However, Soviet documents contain information that although all medium and short-range missiles were withdrawn, there were 100 long-range nuclear missiles left in Cuba, which the Americans did not know anything about.
John F. Kennedy.
Historians speculate that one of the factors in the peaceful resolution of the crisis was Barbara Tuckman's then-bestseller The August Cannons, about the events of the outbreak of World War I, which deeply impressed John F. Kennedy. He presented copies of it to all members of his cabinet and chief military advisers. He often quoted this work and wanted to be read by "every officer in the army." Subsequently, the Secretary of the Army sent copies to every US military base.
One way or another, the threat was eliminated thanks to the political cooperation of both empires. A telephone line was established between Washington and Moscow in case of urgent negotiations. The world breathed a sigh of relief.
More about the unexpected compromise between countries - see the program.