The Cuban Missile Crisis was truly one of the world's worst escalations of tension between two willing and able superpowers, which could have resulted in damage from which both sides would recover still today. Beginning with questions regarding Cuba, the crisis eventually involved United States President John F. Kennedy and USSR leader Nikita Khrushchev. The United States' involvement in Cuba occurred well before that of the USSR, but once the USSR entered the picture, the Thirteen Day Crisis officially began. What began as an attempt by the United States to overthrow Cuba's corrupt government turned into a confusing standoff over nuclear war between two militarily powerful world powers at the time. Both a catalyst for future legislation and a reminder of the fragility of international relations, the Cuban Missile Crisis is an event that we want to get closer to again. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Before Cuba became the center of conflict during this thirteen-day period, it was under U.S. surveillance for nearly a decade. The United States was one with Cuba at one point, before 1962, and then again after 2015. Trade and overall relations between the two were no different than your typical international relations. Both benefited economically from the purchase of their respective goods, the United States appreciated their investments, and a climate of peace generally existed between the two. There has been only one issue that disrupted this mutual relationship: the rise of Fidel Castro. Before its uprising, Cuba was governed under the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The United States supported Batista and his policies. In fact, Batista himself, then in his second term, came to power in the same way as Castro. Despite the decline of his military base and civilian corruption, Batista was officially ousted in 1959. "He and his supporters then fled to the Dominican Republic." Castro then took Batista's position and began to cut and tie international relations one by one. First on his list to leave were those with the United States. “American businesses, oil refineries, factories and casinos were nationalized, prompting the United States to end diplomatic relations and impose a trade embargo that was most recently lifted in 2015. At the same time , Cuba developed its relations with the Soviet Union, becoming increasingly dependent on its support. and resources. Castro himself then openly identified with the Soviets and their command as one who stood with them, calling his program Marxist-Leninist. By 1961, the United States was not only concerned about communist expansion in the Far East, but it now had a satellite located just 90 miles east of its shores. American officials were dissatisfied with the events that led to Castro's rise to power. In fact, they tried more than a dozen times to eliminate it using clever means. “From poisoned cigars to the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion, everything failed and Castro continued his plans of action without a care in the world.” During this time, Cuba benefited greatly from the military support and resources provided by the Soviet Union. They would also later help other Latin American countries by providing similar aid. Nevertheless, products ranging from daily necessities to firearms and ammunition..