This history of the Cuban Missile Crisis is based on newly released materials from the John F. Kennedy Library, United States Department of State and the former Soviet Union. This crisis was caused by the discovery that nuclear ballistic missiles had been secretly installed by the Soviet Union in Cuba in support of the government of Fidel Castro. The discovery of these missiles by U-2 spy planes produced a nuclear confrontation between two super powers. As this study demonstrated, both the Soviet and the United States governments misunderstood, misperceived and misjudged the actions and motives of the other side. Both governments were at fault in bringing on this confrontation. In the end, both governments were frightened enough to draw back from igniting a nuclear holocaust.