Cuban Missile Crisis (2:22)
Get the story of the dramatic face-off that nearly ended in nuclear war, as told by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis.
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Related Videos (7)
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Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile CrisisVideo Clip (2:22)
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Get the story of the dramatic face-off that nearly ended in nuclear war, as told by musician and artist Jeffrey Lewis.
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Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis
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President Kennedy avoided nuclear war during the Cuban Missile Crisis and gained the trust of the nation.
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John F. Kennedy sets his sights on the White House.
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Castro Urges Nuclear Attack on America
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During the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, America and the Soviet Union were on the brink of nuclear war. Fidel Castro urged the Soviets to attack first.
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Castro and the Cuban Revolution
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In 1950s Cuba, government corruption led to Fidel Castro's violent rise to power.
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Russia Withdraws Cuban Missiles
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Footage from sea of the conclusion of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
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Strange Nazi Sabotage
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During WWII the Allies made some strange attempts to sabotage German infrastructure, including the use of explosive rats.
Related Speeches & Audio (10)
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Russia Has A-Bomb
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In the January 5, 1951, episode of Edward R. Murrow's Hear It Now radio broadcast, Atomic Energy Commissioner Gordon Deane fields questions from reporters about Russia's possession of the atomic bomb.
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U.S.-Soviet Tension Builds
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On February 28, 1946, Secretary of State James Byrnes addresses the Overseas Press Club to discuss the purposes of the United Nations. In his speech, Byrnes makes an indirect reference to the Soviet Union when he declares that the United States is prepared to "act to prevent aggression."
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Eisenhower Weighs Chance for Peace in the Cold War
Eisenhower Weighs Chance for Peace in the Cold WarAudio Clip (3:40)
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On April 16, 1953, after the death of Russian Premier Joseph Stalin, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivers what is known as his “Cross of Iron” speech before the American Society for Newspaper Editors, contrasting the philosophies of the Soviet Union and the United States.
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Reagan Announces "Star Wars"
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On March 23, 1983, in what later became known as his "Star Wars" speech, President Ronald Reagan announces his plans to develop an anti-missile capability to counter the threat of Soviet ballistic missiles and to make these nuclear weapons "impotent and obsolete."
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What the Russian Atomic Bomb Means to America
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On October 12, 1949, two weeks after President Harry Truman announced that Russia had developed the atom bomb, Gen. Omar Bradley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, delivers a speech about the impact of this discovery on American policy.
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Bush and Gorbachev Sign the START I Treaty
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On July 31, 1991, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty was signed in Moscow by U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, committing each superpower to reducing nuclear arms by a third. In a press conference held at the Kremlin, President Bush discusses the economic cooperation implicit in the peace negotiations.
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Kennedy Diary Recording of Cuban Missile Crisis
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On October 18, 1962, President Kennedy met with nine of his advisers to discuss what to do about the Soviet missiles that U.S. aerial surveillance discovered in Cuba on October 16. After the meeting, President Kennedy went to the White House Oval Office and recorded his recollections of the meeting.
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Ford's Address at the Helsinki Conference
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On August 1, 1975, at the Helsinki Accords, a major diplomatic agreement was signed by 35 nations, including the United States and the Soviet Union, in an attempt to secure peace between the eastern and western blocs. In a speech delivered at the Finland conference, President Gerald Ford promises to do his part for the good of all nations.
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Bush and Gorbachev Declare End of Cold War
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President George H. W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev declared an end to the Cold War at the Malta Summit on December 3, 1989. At a joint press conference aboard the Soviet passenger liner Maxim Gorky in Marsaxlokk Harbor, President Bush speaks about his hopes for a cooperative U.S.-Soviet relationship.
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U.S. and U.S.S.R. Tussle Over Germany
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Upon his return from commanding U.S. occupation forces in Germany, Gen. Lucius Clay holds a press conference on May 17, 1949, and fields questions about the growing tension between the United States and the Soviets over the division of Germany.
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