President Kennedy meets with members of the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM) in the White House on October 29, 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis had ended the previous day, October 28, when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev acquiesced to Kennedy’s demands, agreeing to remove missiles from Cuba if the United States would promise not to invade Cuba and secretly remove missiles from Turkey. This agreement averted potential disaster—actual nuclear conflict.
responsibilities and policies of the executive branch of the United States government, led by a president, his or her cabinet, and his or her advisers.
person who offers informed advice about an issue.
to proclaim or make known publicly.
military isolation of a specific area.
to exist on the edge of a boundary.
to report.
a disagreement or fight, usually over ideas or procedures.
to address a problem or person directly.
to move military troops, support personnel, and equipment.
skillful and respectful in dealing with people or communities.
something seen, documented, or noticed for the first time.
tools and materials to perform a task or function.
large ship used for carrying heavy cargo, or freight.
armed forces.
explosive device that draws power from the splitting and combining of atomic nuclei.
invading or attacking, not defending.
enforced isolation, usually to prevent the spread of disease.
system of government where power rests in citizens who vote and representatives who stand for those citizens. The United States is a republic.
reprisal, or an act taken in response to an injury or offense.
(1922-1991) large northern Eurasian nation that had a communist government. Also called the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or the USSR.
buying, selling, or exchanging of goods and services.
movement from one place to another.
large-scale armed conflict.
to remove or retract.
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Writer
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Producer
Caryl-Sue, National Geographic Society
Last Updated
Sept. 25, 2014
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