Cuban Missiles Crisis dates

Cuban Revolution: Castro takes power. Context: After years of guerrilla warfare, Fidel Castro’s forces overthrow US-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. Cuba had been economically tied to the USA, especially via sugar exports.
Cause: Corruption under Batista, inequality, and nationalist resentment towards US economic dominance.
Action: Castro assumes power, signalling political independence from US influence.
Outcome: The revolution marked the start of tensions between the US and Cuba, creating conditions for the island to drift towards Soviet alignment.

1 Jan 1959

Castro visits the USA

Context: Castro sought US economic aid and better relations.
Cause: Newly established government needed financial stability and diplomatic recognition.
Action: Meeting with Vice-President Nixon; Eisenhower refused to meet Castro. Nixon was suspicious of Castro’s intentions.
Outcome: Missed opportunity for rapprochement; US mistrust deepened, nudging Cuba towards the USSR.

Apr 1959

Cuban Land Reform Law

Context: Redistribution of land as part of Castro’s socialist reforms.
Cause: Desire to break economic power of large landowners and foreign (especially US) investors.
Action: Nationalisation of property, banning US ownership of sugar plantations.
Outcome: Alienated wealthy Cubans and US business interests; initiated a chain of retaliatory measures from the US.

May 1959

Soviet Economic Overture: Mikoyan’s Trade Visit

Context: As tensions with the United States escalated, Cuba sought alternative economic partners to mitigate the impact of U.S. hostility. The Soviet Union saw an opportunity to extend influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Action: Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan visited Cuba, negotiating trade deals including large purchases of Cuban sugar, which was vital for Cuba’s economy.
Outcome: This marked the beginning of Cuba’s economic pivot towards the USSR, enabling the island to withstand U.S. economic pressures and strengthening Soviet-Cuban ties.

Feb 1960

Escalating Economic Hostilities: Cuban Nationalisations

Context: The U.S. government increased economic pressure by urging oil refineries in Cuba to refuse processing Soviet oil, attempting to isolate Cuba.
Action: In retaliation, the Cuban government nationalised all American-owned industries, including oil refineries and agrarian enterprises, without compensation.
Outcome: This sharp escalation hardened the economic conflict between Cuba and the United States, pushing Cuba further into the Soviet orbit and making reconciliation unlikely.

Apr 1960

Formalising Soviet-Cuban Alliance: Diplomatic Relations Established

Context: Facing U.S. embargoes and hostility, Cuba urgently needed military and economic support to secure its revolution. The USSR was interested in gaining a strategic foothold close to the U.S. mainland.
Action: Cuba established formal diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and began receiving oil shipments and arms supplies.
Outcome: The alliance strengthened Cuba’s capacity to resist U.S. pressure, escalating Cold War rivalry in the Americas and setting the stage for further military build-up.

May 1960

Oct 1960

Cuba’s Public Soviet Alignment

Context: The growing closeness between Cuba and the USSR reflected ideological and strategic alignment amid Cold War divisions.
Action: Cuba openly declared alignment with the Soviet Union, though Castro stopped short of formally declaring himself a Communist leader.
Outcome: This public declaration intensified U.S. hostility and placed Cuba firmly within the Soviet sphere, transforming regional dynamics into an explicit Cold War flashpoint.

19 Dec 1960

Severance of U.S.–Cuba Diplomatic Relations

Context: Continuous economic conflict and political antagonism culminated in a formal diplomatic rupture.
Action: The United States officially broke diplomatic relations with Cuba, closing embassies and diplomatic channels.
Outcome: The closure of diplomatic communication channels increased the likelihood of covert operations and heightened the potential for open confrontation.

3 Jan 1961

the USA deployed Jupiter and Thor intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) in Turkey, which directly threatened Soviet cities within a range of 1500 miles. Moscow was included within the range of the Jupiter missiles. Given that the Soviets did not have many ICBMs which would be capable of reaching US cities, the Soviets faced a strategic imbalance in the nuclear arms race.

1961-1963

17 April 1961 — Bay of Pigs Invasion

Context: The U.S. government, under Kennedy, sought to overthrow Castro after diplomatic and economic efforts failed.
Action: A CIA-backed force of Cuban exiles attempted a military invasion at the Bay of Pigs to spark an anti-Castro uprising.
Outcome: The invasion was a disastrous failure, strengthening Castro’s domestic legitimacy and intensifying Cuba’s reliance on Soviet military protection.

17 Apr 1961

Castro Declares Marxist-Leninist Ideology

Context: Surviving the Bay of Pigs invasion consolidated Castro’s position and commitment to socialist transformation.
Action: During May Day celebrations, Castro publicly declared himself a Marxist-Leninist and announced Cuba’s intention to build socialism.
Outcome: This explicit ideological shift further alienated the U.S. and justified deeper Soviet military and economic support, escalating Cold War stakes

May 1961

Castro Declares Defensive Preparations Against US Attack

Context: Amid increasing US hostility and covert efforts to destabilise Cuba, the Cuban leadership anticipated a possible US invasion. The USSR had begun investing militarily to bolster Cuba’s defense.
Action: Fidel Castro publicly announced measures aimed at deterring a direct American military attack on Cuba, highlighting the significant Soviet support and military investment in Cuba’s defense capabilities.
Outcome: This declaration signalled Cuba’s preparedness to resist US aggression and strengthened its strategic dependence on Soviet military backing, escalating tensions and affirming Cuba’s role as a Cold War frontline state.

27 Jul 1962

CIA Warns of Soviet Missile Deployment to Cuba

Context: Growing intelligence concerns about Soviet military activity in the Caribbean heightened US vigilance.
Action: The Director of the CIA sent a memo to President Kennedy expressing his belief that the Soviet Union was preparing to deploy medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) in Cuba.
Outcome: This intelligence alert heightened US concern, triggering increased surveillance and preparatory discussions within the Kennedy administration about potential responses to the emerging threat.

10 Aug 1962

U-2 Reconnaissance Detects Soviet Air Defense Installations in Cuba

Context: US reconnaissance flights intensified efforts to monitor suspected Soviet military buildup.
Action: A U-2 spy plane flight over Cuba discovered multiple anti-aircraft surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites.
Outcome: These findings provoked rumors that Cuba was becoming a Soviet nuclear base, sharpening US fears of a strategic shift in the Western Hemisphere and reinforcing the urgency of monitoring Soviet activity closely.

29 Aug 1962

Operation Anadyr Begins: Soviet Missile Deployment Commences

Context: In response to perceived strategic imbalances and the need to protect its Cuban ally, the USSR launched a secret operation to deploy nuclear missiles in Cuba.
Action: The Soviet cargo ship Omsk unloaded the first batch of SS-4 MRBMs (without warheads) at Cuba’s Port Mariel, marking the start of Operation Anadyr.
Outcome: This covert deployment laid the physical groundwork for the missile sites that would later provoke the Cuban Missile Crisis, dramatically altering the strategic balance in the Americas.

8 Sep 1962

Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko Warns at the United Nations

Context: Diplomatic tensions between the superpowers escalated alongside military preparations.
Action: Andrei Gromyko delivered a speech to the UN warning that an American attack on Cuba would lead to war with the USSR.
Outcome: This public warning underscored the Soviet commitment to defend Cuba and raised international awareness of the stakes involved, reinforcing the adversarial posture of the Cold War.

11 Sep 1962

Second Soviet Missile Shipment and Military Build-Up

Context: Operation Anadyr continued with increasing military shipments supporting Cuba’s defense and offensive capabilities.
Action: The Soviet ship Poltava delivered additional SS-4 missiles and related equipment, including missile trailers and materials for nuclear warhead storage bunkers. Other shipments brought IL-28 jet bombers, MiG-21 fighters, additional SAMs, cruise missiles, and patrol boats.
Outcome: The growing Soviet arsenal on Cuban soil, including plans for 40 missile launchers with 80 warheads, significantly enhanced Soviet first-strike potential, escalating the threat perception in Washington and preparing the island for a possible nuclear confrontation.

15 Sep 1962

Arrival of Nuclear Warheads in Cuba

Context: The Soviet military buildup in Cuba progressed to the deployment of nuclear weapons.
Action: Nuclear warheads for the MRBMs arrived, along with nuclear warheads for Sopka coastal defense missiles, six bombs for IL-28 bombers, and twelve warheads for tactical short-range rockets.
Outcome: The deployment of actual nuclear warheads on Cuban territory transformed the strategic threat from latent to immediate, setting the stage for the ensuing crisis.

4 Oct 1962

Kennedy Orders U-2 Reconnaissance Flight Over Cuba

Context: US intelligence sought definitive photographic evidence to confirm suspicions about Soviet missiles in Cuba.
Action: President Kennedy authorized a U-2 reconnaissance mission to fly over western Cuba; however, bad weather delayed the flight until 14 October.
Outcome: This reconnaissance was crucial to acquiring the hard evidence needed to confirm the presence of offensive missile installations on Cuba.

9 Oct 1962

U-2 Spy Plane Photographs Soviet Missile Sites

Context: Verifying Soviet missile deployment was vital to US strategic decision-making.
Action: A U-2 flight over Cuba took photographs that clearly showed missile launch sites and construction of SS-4 missile facilities.
Outcome: The photographic proof ended uncertainty in the Kennedy administration and triggered high-level crisis deliberations, marking the formal start of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

14 Oct 1962

Intelligence Analysts Confirm Missile Components

Context: Expert analysis was required to identify and verify the nature of the photographed equipment.
Action: The US National Photographic Interpretation Center reviewed the U-2 images and confirmed the presence of objects consistent with Soviet MRBM components.
Outcome: The confirmation galvanized US policymakers to urgently formulate a response, escalating the crisis from suspicion to confrontation.

15 Oct 1962

Kennedy Convened ExComm, Cuban Missile Crisis Begins

Context: The president needed to assess options in response to the direct threat posed by missiles on Cuba.
Action: Kennedy was briefed on the intelligence and convened the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) to discuss possible diplomatic and military responses.
Outcome: The formal crisis management body was established; the Cuban Missile Crisis was officially underway, ushering in two tense weeks of high-stakes negotiations and military posturing.

16 Oct 1962

ExComm Debates Military Options, Further Evidence of IRBMs

Context: Military advisers pressed for decisive action amid uncertainty about the extent of the Soviet deployment.
Action: The Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Air Force advocated for an air strike. A night U-2 mission identified intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) SS-5 on Cuban soil.
Outcome: The discovery increased pressure on Kennedy to act; military voices favored force, but the president sought alternatives, balancing risk of escalation.

17 Oct 1962

Gromyko Meets Kennedy, Asserts Soviet Defensive Posture

Context: Diplomatic channels were briefly opened despite escalating tensions.
Action: Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko met Kennedy, assuring him that Soviet aid to Cuba was intended only for defensive purposes.
Outcome: The meeting revealed deep mutual distrust; Kennedy remained skeptical, viewing the missile deployment as offensive and threatening.

18 Oct 1962

Kennedy Orders Preparations for Naval Quarantine

Context: President Kennedy sought a controlled response to Soviet actions short of outright war.
Action: Kennedy directed advisors to prepare a naval blockade (“quarantine”) of Cuba to prevent further Soviet military shipments.
Outcome: The quarantine would serve as a middle ground between diplomacy and military strike, setting the stage for a tense standoff.

20 Oct 1962

Kennedy Announces Quarantine and Missile Presence to the Public

Context: Public support and international backing were essential for US strategy.
Action: Kennedy delivered a televised speech revealing the presence of offensive missiles in Cuba, announcing the naval quarantine, and warning the USSR of “full retaliatory response.” US forces were raised to DEFCON 3, and the Guantanamo Bay base was reinforced.
Outcome: The crisis became global news, increasing pressure on the USSR while rallying US domestic and regional support.

22 Oct 1962

OAS Endorses Quarantine; US Ships Take Position

Context: Regional political backing was sought to legitimise US action.
Action: The Organisation of American States unanimously approved the quarantine. US naval vessels positioned themselves along the quarantine line 800 miles from Cuba. Kennedy’s brother, Robert Kennedy, initiated secret talks with Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin. Khrushchev described the situation as a “serious threat.” The US quarantine line was modestly retracted to give Khrushchev time to respond.
Outcome: The US secured regional diplomatic support, established an effective blockade, and opened back-channel communications to manage crisis escalation.

23 Oct 1962

Soviet Ships En Route to Cuba Alter Course; US Military Heightens Alert

Context: The world awaited the Soviet response to the quarantine.
Action: Most Soviet vessels carrying questionable cargo slowed or turned back, except one. US military readiness increased to DEFCON 2—the highest alert level ever reached in US history.
Outcome: The risk of confrontation peaked, highlighting the crisis’s severity and the superpowers’ desire to avoid direct conflict.

24 Oct 1962

Blockade Inspectors Clear Lebanese Ship; Crisis Continues

Context: Enforcement of the quarantine required constant vigilance.
Action: The Soviet-chartered Lebanese ship Marucla was inspected and cleared of nuclear cargo, allowed to pass. CIA reports indicated ongoing Soviet missile site development and efforts to conceal installations. Meanwhile, Castro privately urged Khrushchev to consider a nuclear first strike if invaded. Khrushchev sent a letter proposing missile removal in exchange for a US non-invasion pledge.
Outcome: The quarantine remained in effect amid increasing tensions; the first official Soviet offer to negotiate missile removal arrived, opening a path to possible de-escalation.

26 Oct 1962

Khrushchev’s Second Letter Proposes Missile Trade; U-2 Plane Shot Down

Context: Diplomatic negotiations were complicated by military incidents and escalating threats.
Action: Khrushchev proposed trading Soviet missiles in Cuba for US missiles in Turkey. An American U-2 was shot down over Cuba, killing the pilot; another U-2 violated Soviet airspace near Alaska but was not intercepted. Secret talks between Robert Kennedy and Soviet Ambassador Dobrynin led to an agreement that US removal of Jupiter missiles from Turkey was negotiable. Kennedy publicly agreed to Khrushchev’s terms contingent on missile withdrawal.
Outcome: Despite heightened tensions and the tragic U-2 shootdown, back-channel diplomacy advanced toward a settlement, avoiding military confrontation.

27 Oct 1962

Khrushchev Announces Missile Withdrawal

Context: Both sides sought to avoid nuclear war and restore stability.
Action: Khrushchev publicly announced on Radio Moscow that the USSR would remove its missiles from Cuba.
Outcome: The United States lifted the quarantine; the immediate nuclear threat dissipated. The crisis ended peacefully, marking a pivotal moment in Cold War history and ushering in new diplomatic protocols for crisis management.

28 Oct 1962