US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy leaves the Saint Stephen Martyr catholic church after attending mass, on October 28, 1962 in Washington DC, few hours before Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev offers to retire the soviet missiles from Cuba. The Cuban missile crisis and its aftermath was the most serious U.S.-Soviet confrontation of the Cold War.

US Administration official shows aerial views of one of the Cuban medium-range missile bases, taken in October 1962, to the members of the United Nations Security Council, at the request of Mr Stevenson (R), US ambassador to the UN. On 22 October, Kennedy said Russia had missile sites in Cuba and imposed an arms blockade. During a week, the two super-powers were head-to-head in their game of nuclear poker while the rest of the world watched, fascinated, but hardly daring to breathe in case one of the players made a fatal mistake. On 28 October, M. Khrushchev promised that the Russian missiles based in Cuba would be dismantled. In return, Kennedy promised that the US would not invade Cuba and would lift their blockade.

U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson, far right, describes aerial photographs of launching sites for intermediate range missiles in Cuba during an emergency session of the United Nations Security Council Oct. 25, 1962 at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis. (AP Photo/files)

US marines listen to General Collins, commander of the US naval base of Guantanamo Bay, at their arrival to the base, 25 October 1962 in Cuba. The US military naval base of Guantanamo is in stand by and was reinforced because of the Cuban missile crisis. The Cuban missile crisis and its aftermath was the most serious U.S.-Soviet confrontation of the Cold War.

Robert McNamara, secretaire americain de la Defense, repond aux questions des journalistes le 20 octobre 1962 au Pentagone r Washington lors d'une conference de presse tenue immediatement aprcs la signature par le president Kennedy de l'embargo sur les navires transportant des armes offensives vers Cuba. AFP PHOTO

Portrait dated 25 October 1962 of US Admiral Alfred G. Ward, commander of the US forces in charge of the blockade of Cuba.

John A. McCone, CIA director, arrives at the White House for a conference with President John F. Kennedy to discuss the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban missile crisis, Oct. 24, 1962. (AP Photo)

US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy signs the order of naval blockade of Cuba, on October 24, 1962 in White House, Washington DC, during the Cuban missiles crisis. On October 22, 1962, President Kennedy informed the American people of the presence of missile sites in Cuba. Tensions mounted, and the world wondered if there could be a peaceful resolution to the crisis, until November 20, 1962, when Russian bombers left Cuba, and Kennedy lifted the naval blockade.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP PHOTO Aerial view of one of the Cuban medium-range missile bases, taken 23 October 1962. On 22 October, Kennedy said Russia had missile sites in Cuba and imposed an arms blockade. During a week, the two super-powers were head-to-head in their game of nuclear poker while the rest of the world watched, fascinated, but hardly daring to breathe in case one of the players made a fatal mistake. On 28 October, M. Khrushchev promised that the Russian missiles based in Cuba would be dismantled. In return, Kennedy promised that the US would not invade Cuba and would lift their blockade.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Aerial view of one of the Cuban medium-range missile bases, taken 23 October 1962. On 22 October, Kennedy said Russia had missile sites in Cuba and imposed an arms blockade. During a week, the two super-powers were head-to-head in their game of nuclear poker while the rest of the world watched, fascinated, but hardly daring to breathe in case one of the players made a fatal mistake. On 28 October, M. Khrushchev promised that the Russian missiles based in Cuba would be dismantled. In return, Kennedy promised that the US would not invade Cuba and would lift their blockade.

Secretary of Defense Dean Rusk wears an earphone as he addresses an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States, Oct. 23, 1962, in Washington. He appealed to the group to back Pres. Kennedy's military quarantine of Cuba and said:

U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk smokes a cigarette as he listens intently to debate at an extra-ordinary session of the Organization of American States, to consider action against Cuba, supporting Pres. Kennedy's strong stand against Communist arms buildup, Oct. 23, 1962. (AP Photo/William J. Smith)

Secretary of State Dean Rusk, seated, talks with Roberto Alemann, Argentina's Ambassador to the United States, Oct. 23, 1962, before addressing an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States in Washington. Rusk appealed for backing by the hemisphere nations for Pres. Kennedy's military quarantine of Cuba. Alemann, taking the floor immediately after Rusk finished, supported the U.S. proposal. (AP Photo/William J. Smith)

John A. McCone, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, leaves the White House, Oct. 23, 1962. He is a member of a special National Security Council committee which will meet daily with President Kennedy to go over developments in the Cuba quarantine situation. Kennedy called the committee together for the first time during the morning. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)

John A. McCone, director of the Central Intelligence Agency, leaves the White House, Oct. 23, 1962. He is a member of a special National Security Council committee which will meet daily with President Kennedy to go over developments in the Cuba quarantine situation. Kennedy called the committee together for the first time during the morning. (AP Photo/Harvey Georges)

Pickets representing an organization known as Women Strike for Peace carry placards outside the United Nations headquarters in New York City where the U.N. Security Council considers the Cuban missile crisis in a special meeting, Oct. 23, 1962. (AP Photo)

Women protesting the Cuban Missile Crisis demonstrate along the Pennsylvania Ave. sidewalk in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., Oct. 23, 1962. (AP Photo)

U.S. President John F. Kennedy is surrounded by photographers, as he sits at his desk in the White House, in Washington, D.C., on October 23, 1962, shortly after signing a presidential proclamation concerning the Cuba crisis. (AP Photo)

U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson addresses the U.N. Security Council on the Cuban Missile Crisis, during a session at the United Nations headquarters in New York, on October 23, 1962. (AP Photo)

Aerial view of one of the Cuban medium-range missile bases, taken 23 October 1962. On 22 October, Kennedy said Russia had missile sites in Cuba and imposed an arms blockade. During a week, the two super-powers were head-to-head in their game of nuclear poker while the rest of the world watched, fascinated, but hardly daring to breathe in case one of the players made a fatal mistake. On 28 October, M. Khrushchev promised that the Russian missiles based in Cuba would be dismantled. In return, Kennedy promised that the US would not invade Cuba and would lift their blockade.