Kennedy and Khrushchev: 9. Black Saturday

Serhii Plokhy's 'Nuclear Folly' provides a detailed account of the Cuban Missile Crisis, tracing the complex decision-making processes of John F. Kennedy, Nikita Khrushchev, and Fidel Castro. The book draws on Soviet archival sources and White House tapes to illustrate the tense days of the crisis and the lessons they hold for the present day.

In this memoir, Robert F. Kennedy provides a detailed and personal account of the Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting the intense diplomatic and military negotiations between the United States and the Soviet Union. The book describes the daily interactions and decision-making processes within the Kennedy administration, particularly focusing on the roles of President John F. Kennedy and key advisors like Robert S. McNamara. It recounts the crisis from the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba to the eventual resolution, where the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for a U.S. promise not to invade Cuba and the secret removal of U.S. missiles from Turkey and Italy.

One Minute to Midnight provides a detailed, hour-by-hour chronicle of the Cuban Missile Crisis, highlighting the close calls and miscalculations that nearly led to nuclear war. Dobbs offers new insights into the crisis, including Soviet plans to destroy the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo and the accidental overflight of the Soviet Union by an American spy plane.