DIA'S John Hughes and the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962

The Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and ranks as the most significant Cold War confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union. The crisis began when the United States discovered that Soviet missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons and hitting targets across the United States had been secretly delivered to Cuba. In response, the United States initiated a naval blockade and demanded the removal of the missiles. After some very tense days, the crisis was resolved and the missiles were removed.

After the crisis, President Kennedy took the unprecedented step of asking John Hughes, Special Assistant to the Director of DIA, to deliver a televised briefing to the American public to reassure the nation that the Soviet missiles had indeed been withdrawn from Cuba. The briefing, delivered on 6 February 1963, was a great success and the next morning Hughes received a personal letter of thanks from the President.

Learn more about the history of the Defense Intelligence Agency.