The Cuban Missile Crisis The Most Dangerous Time

â€Å"The Cuban Missile Crisis† By the 20th century world conflict had claimed the lives millions of innocent lives displacing families and destroying homelands. In the in midst of the Cold War, tension grew between the United States and the Soviet Union and led to a stand-off between both nations over nuclear armed missiles placed in Cuba, Italy, and Turkey. The world was on the brink of catastrophe as two super powers were engaged in a competition to show military superiority. For decades, historians have debated that the Cuban Missile crisis was the most dangerous time in history. Within this 16 day span the world would be on edge, as the possibility of nuclear warfare was as close as it has ever been. Prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis,†¦show more content†¦Cuba’s economy flourished. The U.S. investments in Cuba were greater than any other country in Latin America, hence, Cuba had the largest per capital income in Latin America. ( ) However, Cuba itself wasn’t benefiting from the economy. The mortality rate was steadily increasing due to healthcare services not being offered in the more poverty stricken parts of Cuba. Most of Cuba’s inhabitants were illiterate and furthermore Fulgencia Batista was a corrupt dictator whose interest were solely in seeing American business succeed, thus, causing the people of Cuba to suffer. Cuba needed to be socially reformed. The social and economic oppression led Fidel Castro to begin the revolt for reform and in 1959 Castro overthrew Batista and seized power of Cuba. For the first time in 427 years Cuba was not subjected by any foreign power. Fidel Castro’s triumph was glamorized in U.S. media and he was invited to visit the states to meet with President Eisenhower, however, Eisenhower refused to meet with him. Fidel Castro’s ultimate goal was to make Cuba a sovereign nation, and rid Cuba of any U.S. influence. Fidel Castro’s nationalistic ideals differed from those of a capitalist ideals of the United States, Castro saw American business in Cuba as means of control and knew that he couldn’t address the real issues with the influence of the U.S. Castro began his reform by nationalizing many American owned