The Americans had a greater nuclear power with more than 300 land based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and a fleet of Polaris submarines. The Soviet Union had only 4 to 6 land based ICBMs and around 100 short range primitive V1 type cruise missiles that could only be launched from surfaced submarines.
Although Kennedy had the option of launching air strikes against the missile construction sites, he decided to come into terms with Khrushchev that would see the Soviets remove the missiles in exchange that the U.S. would not invade the Island. Unmistakably, the U.S. won by giving in to Khrushchev's demands.
Though Kennedy is most to blame in terms of the increasing in hostility in the region, Khrushchev was the individual that created the crisis as it existed. Kennedy's actions were a direct cause of Soviet interference, yet Khrushchev's decision to place nuclear weapons on the island is the cause of the crisis.
U.S. Jupiter missiles were removed from Turkey in April 1963. The Cuban missile crisis stands as a singular event during the Cold War and strengthened Kennedy's image domestically and internationally. It also may have helped mitigate negative world opinion regarding the failed Bay of Pigs invasion.
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a triumph for the Soviet Union (1962-1964) Revisionist historians believe that the Cuban Missile Crisis was a success for the Soviet Union on the long-term. Nuclear war was avoided, the missile gap reduced and Cuba protected from the United States – all significant successes for Khrushchev.
Both the Americans and Soviets were sobered by the Cuban Missile Crisis. The following year, a direct “hot line” communication link was installed between Washington and Moscow to help defuse similar situations, and the superpowers signed two treaties related to nuclear weapons.
With Cuba's proximity to the United States, Castro and his regime became an important Cold War ally for the Soviets. The relationship was for the most part economic, with the Soviet Union providing military, economic, and political assistance to Cuba.
The United States had a decided advantage over the Soviet Union in the period leading up to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Americans had a greater nuclear power with more than 300 land based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and a fleet of Polaris submarines.
The Cuban missile crisis showed that neither the United States nor the Soviet Union were ready to use nuclear weapons for fear of the other's retaliation (and thus of mutual atomic annihilation). The two superpowers soon signed the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty of 1963, which banned aboveground nuclear weapons testing.
In October 1962, the Soviet provision of ballistic missiles to Cuba led to the most dangerous Cold War confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union and brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
Kennedy and Khrushchev struck a deal that ended the crisis the next day. The Soviets yielded to President Kennedy's demands, and in return, the U.S. didn't invade Cuba and removed all the NATO/U.S. medium-range Jupiter missiles from Turkey.
Cuba won from the situation because they received economic and military support from the USSR however, they felt betrayed by the USSR with no say over the outcome of the crisis.
While Kennedy gained mass domestic support and, thus, a huge public victory, Khrushchev sacrificed his public reputation and standing within the Kremlin to successfully advance his foreign policy. The only loser in the crisis is, in fact, Khrushchev himself.
Vasily Aleksandrovich Arkhipov (Russian: Василий Александрович Архипов, IPA: [vɐˈsʲilʲɪj ɐlʲɪkˈsandrəvʲɪtɕ arˈxʲipəf], 30 January 1926 – 19 August 1998) was a Soviet Naval officer who prevented a Soviet nuclear torpedo launch during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In response to these factors, Soviet First Secretary, Nikita Khrushchev, agreed with the Cuban Prime Minister, Fidel Castro, to place nuclear missiles on the island of Cuba to deter a future invasion.
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev orders withdrawal of missiles from Cuba, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis.
After many long and difficult meetings, Kennedy decided to place a naval blockade, or a ring of ships, around Cuba. The aim of this "quarantine," as he called it, was to prevent the Soviets from bringing in more military supplies. He demanded the removal of the missiles already there and the destruction of the sites.
It would take a land- based missile about 30 minutes to fly between Russia and the United States; a submarine-based missile could strike in as little as 10 to 15 minutes after launch.
Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles from Cuba if the United States promised not to invade Cuba and to eventually remove missiles from Turkey. Kennedy agreed. The United States secretly removed missiles from Turkey. Khrushchev openly removed missiles from Cuba, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis.
In 1989, the official GDP of the Soviet Union was $2,500 billion while the GDP of the United States was $4,862 billion with per capita income figures as $8,700 and $19,800 respectively.
Postwar Soviet expansionism in Eastern Europe fueled many Americans' fears of a Russian plan to control the world. Meanwhile, the USSR came to resent what they perceived as American officials' bellicose rhetoric, arms buildup, and interventionist approach to international relations.
The United States government was initially hostile to the Soviet leaders for taking Russia out of World War I and was opposed to a state ideologically based on communism.
To protect Cuba: Khrushchev wanted to support the new communist country in 'Uncle Sam's backyard', and ensure that the Americans would not attempt another incident like the Bay of Pigs and attempt to overthrow Castro.
The talks included $20 million worth of credit to Havana, and 25,000 tons of grain as humanitarian aid to Cuba.
Cuba's alliance with the Soviet Union was the main reason the United States viewed Castro as a security threat–a fear that was arguably vindicated during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.