The Cuban Missile Crisis Study Day

The Cuban Missile Crisis was a six-day clash in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. Both John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev were determined to avoid nuclear war, but events could easily have spiralled out of control with cataclysmic results. Led by the author of a new book about the missile crisis (see https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-the-cuban-missile-crisis.html), this study day at the People's History Museum includes discussion of original source material, and an exploration of the British role. Was Britain just a bystander, or was it able to influence what went on through the ‘special relationship’ with Washington? Knowledge of the missile crisis is of continued relevance today when there is debate about the value of nuclear weapons, and when the US government is re-building its relationship with Cuba after decades of hostility. Attendees at the study day do not need to have prior knowledge of the missile crisis, but some background reading would be useful. Please book early as places are limited, but please also note that the study day will depend on suitable numbers of attendees. The event is supported by the University of Central Lancashire, Preston, and by Edinburgh University Press.