Stilness is the Key
In the m the midst of O of October 1962, President John F. K John F. K John F. Kennedy
awakened to alarming information relayed by the CIA. e CIA. The
Soviets were on the s were on the s were on the s were on the brink of attaining the capability to launch
nuclear assault ar assaults on the Unit the United States and it and its a s adjacent territories
from their base in Cuba. T Cuba. The Cold War seemed to be
approaching its climax.
Kennedy's initial presidential period was eriod was laden with challenges,
predominantly inherited from the ongoing Cold W Cold War conflicts.
The Bay of Pigs operation had ended in failure, and his
diplomatic e ic encounters wit rs with Premier Khrushchev ha hchev hadn't
portrayed him in him in a favorable l le light. Despite Khrushchev's
assurances that t at the Cuban missiles were pure s were pure s were purely for defensive
purposes, Kennedy faced the faced the monumental decision of whether to er to
trust him. Misjudgment could lead to unimaginable ca unimaginable casualties,
yet Kennedy was re s reluctant t luctant to exacerbate t te the situation further.
