Amongst other problems President Kennedy faced with the Soviet Union, no other was more serious than the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1960, Soviet Premier Khrushchev supplied Cuba with nuclear missiles that would put the eastern United States within range of nuclear missile attack. .
During the summer of 1962, U. S. spy planes flying over Cuba photographed Soviet managed construction sites and spotted the first missile on October 14. Kennedy consulted with advisors for seven days , discussing the possible means of action. On October 22, Kennedy told the nation about the discovery of the missiles and demanded that the Soviet Union remove the missiles, he also declared the waters around Cuba a quarantine zone. For several tense days, Soviet vessels en route to Cuba avoided the quarantine zone, while Khrushchev and Kennedy discussed the issue through diplomatic channels. Khrushchev, realizing his weak military position, sent a message to Kennedy in which he agreed to remove the missiles. The following day, before the United States could respond to the first note a second note was sent by Khrushchev to try and negotiate terms. Kennedy responded to the first message and an agreement was met for the Soviet missiles to be dismantled and removed from Cuba. In return Kennedy secretly promised not to invade Cuba and to remove older missiles from Turkey. These decisions were perhaps Kennedy's greatest moment as president. Many feel that because of Kennedy's aggression that perhaps WW1 or a Nuclear war was avoided. .
Kennedy was also a strong supporter of civil rights. He was strongly against segregation. President Kennedy helped Dr. Martin Luther King with his fight for civil rights. Many Black leaders had sided with Kennedy in the presidential race because Kennedy claimed to be a strong believer in civil rights. In the beginning President Kennedy ignored his claims for civil rights but in his later presidency he changed and began trying to pass laws against segregation.