What Other Historical Conflicts Mirror the Tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

[babtridge]

Hi there,
I am currently trying to write an essay on "Was the cuban missile crisis the closest the world ever came to nuclear war?"

I was hoping you crazy cats could suggest other minor or major historical conflicts...

I already have the Quemoy-Matsu crisis and the India-Pakistan ones.

Thanks in anticipation!

 

[Smurf]

Suez Canal Crisis (my personal favourite), Falkland War, Vietnam War, Korean War, Any of the Israeli Wars.
Any of those conflicts could have easily escalated to another world war.

 

[russ_watters]

Suez Canal Crisis (my personal favourite), Falkland War, Vietnam War, Korean War, Any of the Israeli Wars.
Any of those conflicts could have easily escalated to another world war.

Um, first of all: no. Second, the question was about nuclear war.

AFAIK, besides the US and the USSR and India and Pakistan recently, there haven't been any two other nuclear countries in conflict with each other.

 

[Pengwuino]

If you want to get REALLY technical... what about that polish satellite launch that the russians thougth was a nuclear attack by the US? Thats what i call a close call. But the cuban missile crisis was probably the closest major conflict to bring us to nuclear war. I wish (or well... no i don't lol) i was around in those days. To think someone had to balls to put nuclear missiles a few dozen miles off the US coast line and then to think our presidents reaction was "attack us and we will nuke you back to the stone age". Those people had some freaken balls... both of them.

 

[Danger]

As with the satellite launch, there have been several near-misses with NORAD. BMEWS
and DEW line tracking stations have reported anything from geese to the sunrise as incoming warheads. They have to do some pretty fast decision-making.

 

[Pengwuino]

Thats always a pleasent thought. We need to go fix up Russia and make it into a real democracy and a real capitalist nation so itd be easier for us to get rid of most of these nuclear missiles. Get the relationship down to something like the US and Germany... sure we've had our difference... sometimes we get mad at each other... but no ones launching missiles at each other or declaring war or anything like that. Of course the idea of total nuclear mismantlement is foolish though so I am not advocating that. Give each other like, 30... no screw it, just use subs... or well that wouldn't work. Screw it, someone hit us with an asteroid.

 

[brewnog]

We need to go fix up Russia and make it into a real democracy and a real capitalist nation so itd be easier for us to get rid of most of these nuclear missiles.

I never know when you're being serious or not!

 

[Pengwuino]

Im being serious... but you can't tell me they have a REAL democracy or a true capitalist system there. And when i said get rid of the missiles... that was in hopes of allowing the US to reduce its forces too (wow thatd save some sweet cash).

 

[Danger]

Unfortunately, I think the most serious hazard is from wild cards. Any nut job with a few million bucks and the right connections can get surplus stuff. Not only would it be delivered in a less detectable manner (probably boat), but it could trigger something more serious if used. I don't know if it ever got operational or not (I certainly hope not), but there were plans a long time ago to set up a satellite system that would automatically launch a retaliatory strike if it detected the gamma flash from a nuke going off.

 

[Pengwuino]

No that system never went into actual operation. I believe one of hte reasons (besides its absoltely insane) was that the system could accidently detect gamma rays that occoured naturally. But yah, i think there was a period of time where countries were tryen to make automated retaliatory strikes... until they realized they don't want to automate the death of millions of people lol.

But yah, that is the greatest probable hazard to us but hey, if you can get rid of the slightest possibility of a few billion people dieing in a few hours and save a bunch of money, I am for it :)

 

[Smurf]

Im being serious... but you can't tell me they have a REAL democracy or a true capitalist system there. And when i said get rid of the missiles... that was in hopes of allowing the US to reduce its forces too (wow thatd save some sweet cash).

The USA isn't a REAL democracy or a true capitalist system either.

 

[babtridge]

Thanks for your responses guys they've been most helpful!

 

[Danger]

No that system never went into actual operation.

Thanks for the reassurance. I don't worry about much of anything, but that sucker was downright frightening. (Can someone add a sticky for profound relief to the menu?)