Cuban Missile Crisis Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1962

The United States of America became aware of this in 1962 and the fact that the Soviet Union was taking active steps to place missiles in Cuba - a clear threat to the United States. John F. Kennedy was the US president at the time.

Answer: Spy plane

In October 1962, a United States U-2 reconnaissance spy plane that was flown by Richard Heyser discovered that the Soviets were building underground sites in Cuba for the potential launch of offensive missiles against the United States.

Answer: Set up a naval 'quarantine' (partial blockade) around Cuba

Kennedy became aware in October of 1962, and ordered the U.S. Navy to set up a partial naval blockade around Cuba to prevent the delivery of nuclear weapons to the country. Kennedy announced to the world that he was setting the quarantine up until the missiles from Cuba were removed. A full-scale nuclear war between the two superpowers would have been a possible outcome if Soviet ships had challenged the U.S. actions.
The USA did not use the word "blockade", which is technically an act of war.

Answer: 12 Miles

During this era, the United States would not allow any naval vessel reach within 12 nautical miles of the North and South American coastline which includes the islands as well. Within those 12 miles, vessels flying the flag of another nation are under the jurisdiction of that other nation, with the exception of a wide list of situations which are considered of overriding importance (bearing weapons of mass destruction; carrying contraband cargo; broadcasting on unlicensed frequencies; engaging in criminal acts that may affect those on shore, etc.).

It also related to the majority of other countries in the Americas.

Answer: Nikita Khrushchev

Nikita Khrushchev was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and in effect head of the Soviet administation during this missile crisis. He served from 1953-1964. He was in charge of launching plans to place missiles on the Cuban territory.

Answer: Turkey

The U.S. missiles in Turkey threatened the Soviet Union, which made the Soviet Union set up missiles in Cuba. This was because both countries wanted to set up missiles that were closer to each other, so that it could strike within a few minutes if there was to be a nuclear strike.

Answer: Bay of Pigs Invasion

During this era, the Bay of Pigs Invasion by CIA-backed Cuban exiles in 1961 caused the Soviets to place missiles on the Cuban territory. Cuba was a strong ally to the Soviet Union, and was against the covert operation(s) the United States had done to oust the Cuban Premier, Fidel Castro.

Answer: Demanding the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey in exchange for Soviet missiles in Cuba

On October 27, Khrushchev proposed removing Soviet missiles and personnel if the U.S. would guarantee not to invade Cuba. On that same day, a U-2 spy plane was shot down, and Kennedy received another proposal from Khrushchev demanding the removal of U.S. missiles in Turkey in exchange for Soviet missiles in Cuba.

Answer: False

Tensions finally began to ease on October 28 when Khrushchev announced that he would dismantle the installations and return the missiles to the Soviet Union, expressing his trust that the United States would not invade Cuba. Further negotiations were held to implement the October 28 agreement, including a United States demand that Soviet light bombers be removed from Cuba, and specifying the exact form and conditions of United States assurances not to invade Cuba.

Answer: True

In 1963 the Soviet Union, United States, and nearly 100 other nations signed the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty to end the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere. This first step in controlling the testing of nuclear arms was offset by a new round in the arms race for developing missile and warhead superiority.