The Cuban missile crisis was the most dangerous of the Cold War, but it still involves the two main superpower enemies; Russia and America, only this time Cuba got involved too. The Cold War happened because America was scared that Communism would spread to their democratic West. Russia being the huge superpower in the east was Communist, and after the Russian Revolution, Lenin was planned on making Communism worldwide, this petrified the west. America believed in the Domino Theory, which was that if one country became Communist, then the neighboring countries would soon follow, like dominoes falling down. A good example of this was when China became Communist, soon its neighbour Korea was Communist as well. Russia was worried about America bases in NATO countries in Europe. .
There was always competition between Russia and America because they were two superpowers. There was the Arms Race, where both countries competed for newer, stronger weapons than the other. Such as when America developed the A bomb, Russia got the A bomb, America got the H bomb, Russia got the H bomb and so on. They were both trying to out do each other with nuclear weapons, but if one of them used them then it would probably lead to the end of mankind. There was also the Space race, which also involved competition between the two super powers. This time they were competing for people in space, for example, Russia had the first man in space but America had the first man on the moon. The main aim of the Space Race was to develop rocket Technology. By 1960 both superpowers had enough nuclear weapons to wipe out each other and everyone else as well. However, they were both still nervous and worried about what would happen if their missiles were destroyed before they had the chance to use them. Both the USA and USSR became worried that nuclear weapons were not the final solution. So both sides come up with their own nuclear deterrent.
