The Cuban Missile Crisis
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Objective
I can evaluate the impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis on Cold War tensions.
Part 1 of 4
Warm-up video
TED-Ed · 4:52Vetted channel
We don't generate video — this one is by TED-Ed on YouTube. The practice questions and exit ticket below were drafted by AI for this objective, and every question is editable in the teacher guide.
Part 2 of 4
Key concepts
3 concepts
- 1
The Cuban Missile Crisis occurred because the Soviet Union secretly deployed nuclear missiles to Cuba to protect it and to counteract the threat from U.S. missiles in Italy and Turkey.
- 2
To prevent Soviet shipments to Cuba, President John F. Kennedy initiated a naval quarantine, which the Soviet Union viewed as an act of aggression.
- 3
During the crisis, a Soviet submarine almost launched a nuclear torpedo, but Vasili Arkhipov, second in command, refused to authorize the launch, potentially saving the world from nuclear war.
Part 3 of 4
Practice
3 questions
Describe how the Cuban Missile Crisis influenced the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
What was the significance of Vasili Arkhipov's decision during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and how does it illustrate the potential for individual actions to impact Cold War tensions?
Part 4 of 4
Exit ticket
Quick comprehension check
“Describe one way the Cuban Missile Crisis increased Cold War tensions and one way it eventually de-escalated them.”
Sample answer included in the free materials
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