The Abyss: Nuclear Crisis Cuba 1962

Sir Max Hastings examines the Cuban Missile Crisis, the thirteen days in October 1962 when the world approached nuclear war. The account centers on key figures—President John F. Kennedy, Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, and Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro—alongside their advisors, tracing events across Moscow, Washington, DC, and Havana. Hastings explores the attitudes and conduct of Russians, Cubans, and Americans during this Cold War crisis. The narrative incorporates perspectives from pilots, sailors, and ordinary citizens whose lives were affected by the standoff. The work examines the tactical and psychological maneuvering between the three leaders, the Cuban motivations and actions alongside those of Moscow and Washington, and the experiences of those caught in the potential conflict. The account also considers how the aftermath of the crisis continues to influence international relations in the twenty-first century.