JFK Narrating the Cuban Missile Crisis

On October 22nd, 1962, my generals told me to strike first — to bomb Cuba before the Soviets could strike us.

Instead, I chose to wait.

I'm John F. Kennedy, and let me tell you about the Cuban Missile Crisis.

That morning, I knew what we'd found — Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just ninety miles off our shores.

Each one powerful enough to turn American cities into ash.

My generals wanted air strikes, even invasion.

Others warned that a single misstep could end civilization itself.

So, I chose a third way: a naval quarantine.

Not a war, but a wall — a line of ships across the Caribbean, daring the Soviets to cross.

For days, we waited.

The world held its breath.

Submarines shadowed our fleet.

Commanders' fingers hovered over red buttons that could erase continents.

And in Moscow, Khrushchev waited too — trying to decide if he'd blink, or burn the world with him.

When his ships finally turned back, the silence in the situation room felt louder than any victory cheer.

We'd walked right up to the edge of annihilation… and stepped back.

So tell me — did courage save us that week, or just sheer luck?

Drop your thoughts in the comments… because history could've ended on October 22nd, 1962.

Step into history with President John F. Kennedy as he recounts the tense days of the Cuban Missile Crisis — the moment the world came closest to nuclear war. This video brings you inside the 1962 standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, where decisions on air strikes, invasion, and diplomacy balanced on a knife's edge. Discover how JFK's choice of a naval quarantine averted catastrophe and changed the course of the Cold War. Perfect for history buffs, political enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by leadership under pressure and the thin line between courage and chaos.