Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/10-times-history-almost-took-a-very-different-turn/
Throughout history, humanity has faced moments when the course of civilization balanced on a razor’s edge. Sometimes a single decision, a stroke of luck, or an unexpected twist prevented events from spiraling into catastrophe. These near-misses shaped the world we live in today, though they often remain overshadowed by the events that actually unfolded. From assassination attempts that nearly succeeded to diplomatic crises resolved at the last second, these turning points remind us how fragile historical outcomes can be.
The Cuban Missile Crisis Brought the World to the Nuclear Brink
The Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962 stands as the closest the Cold War came to escalating into full-scale nuclear war. For thirteen days, from October 16 to 28, the United States and Soviet Union faced off over Soviet nuclear missiles deployed in Cuba. U.S. intelligence discovered sites for medium-range and intermediate-range ballistic nuclear missiles under construction in Cuba after a U-2 aircraft photographed them on October 14. President Kennedy and his advisors weighed options ranging from diplomacy to full military invasion.
Actions by lower-ranking individuals nearly triggered nuclear Armageddon more than once, including when a Soviet air defense commander independently ordered the shoot-down of an American U-2 on October 27, and when an American submarine captain prepared to launch a…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-01-22 19:45:00
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