A time when the Cold War almost went "hot".
The Cuban Missile crisis took place in 1962 and it involved Khrushchev (Soviet Union), Castro (Cuba), and Kennedy (United States). It was a thirteen day scare from October 16–28.
Fidel Castro, a revolutionary, overthrew a harsh dictator named Fulgencio Batista. Although Cubans initially supported the revolution, Castro proved to be a bad leader after killing former government workers and turning the country socialist. The idea of expansionism in Cuba attracted the Soviet Union and Nikita Khruschev came in contact with Castro for a deal.
The conflict began when the US put nuclear launchers in Italy and Turkey. The Soviet Union placed nuclear launch sites in Cuba since it was a buffer zone so that Cuba could defend itself and it was a counter to the US putting missiles in Italy and Turkey. The US sent a U2 spy plane to look at Cuba and it was confirmed that Cuba really had nuclear weapons.
The US was scared that the Soviet Union would launch the nuclear missiles at the US. The Cuban Missile crisis is known as the closest the Cold War has been to becoming nuclear.
It scared the US. It was a stalemate because both US and the Soviet Union agreed to disassemble the nuclear launch sites. This could be similar to the SALT meetings because they both had to reduce nuclear weapons. The US agreed to never invade Cuba if the Soviet Union took out the missiles from Cuba.
The effects of the crisis were an increase in tension between the Soviet Union and the US. The US anti-invasion deal with Cuba led to the US making an embargo with Cuba. Therefore, Cuba's automobiles are a bit outdated.
Both sides did not want to engage in a nuclear war.
Sources
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuba