The Cuban Missile Crisis was a major event in the history of the United States that almost led to nuclear destruction. This took place over a period of thirteen days during which diplomats from the United States and the Soviet Union attempted to reach a peaceful solution so as to not have to engage in physical warfare. Crisis was the hallmark of the Cold War which lasted from the 1950s to the late 1980s. The Cold War was a power struggle between the United States and the Soviet Union in which both countries engaged in a massive arms race to become the most powerful military force. The United States viewed communism as an opposing political entity and therefore called them enemies. Khrushchev's hostile opinion towards the Americans also played a significant role in the conflict. Cold War tensions, coupled with political change in Cuba, eventually led to the military struggle known as the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban Missile Crisis was the most intense point of tension and nearly collapsed, transforming the Cold War from a passive and clandestine struggle to a violent and catastrophic struggle. The two sides acted in different ways until the Cuban Missile Crisis. They both attempted to gain indirect advantage over the other through an arms race that lasted more than 40 years. The Soviets in particular spent billions creating weapons with money that would have been better spent improving their economy. Even before Khrushchev was in charge, Stalin ordered the construction of a laboratory that would mine hundreds of tons of uranium into explosives. In 1961, the Soviets detonated a massive hydrogen bomb known as the "Tsar Bomba" for testing purposes. It was the most powerful explosive ever detonated by humanity, producing an explosion with a force of 50 to 58 megatons of d... middle of paper ... source but it was valuable to my research in its own right. path. It helped me learn about the Cold War from a fundamental perspective. I was able to learn about the whole structure, from the military to politics and social impact. Communism in general is discussed in depth in this book and how it shaped the Cold War. Schwarz, Benjamin. “The Real Cuban Missile Crisis.” The Atlantic. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2013/01/the-real-cuban-missile-crisis/309190/2/ (accessed April 13, 2014). This source provided a very good counterargument to the usual interpretation of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He gives an insightful critique of the Cuban Missile Crisis as seen through American propaganda. This internet article may have given an opposing interpretation of events and presented the United States as the aggressor in some way, which helped make my article more comprehensive..