Anatomy of the Cuban Missile Crisis: (Greenwood Press Guides to Historic Events of the Twentieth Century)

The Cuban Missile Crisis is the closest the United States came to nuclear war during the Cold War era. Facing down the buildup of Soviet missiles in Cuba in 1962, President John F. Kennedy took a calculated risk and succeeded in negotiating the removal of those weapons after weeks of teetering on the brink of war. This riveting narrative and ready-reference guide captures the drama of that crisis. Eleven chapters trace the unfolding of events from the United States, Cuban, and Soviet perspectives. Ready reference features include: a blow-by-blow chronology of daily events during the Crisis, lengthy biographical profiles of the nine key players, including Cuba's Fidel Castro, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, and key Kennedy Cabinet members who were part of Kennedy's Crisis team; the text of 19 primary documents, including conversations in the Oval Office and memoranda that put the reader inside the crisis room, and Kennedy's speeches to the nation; and an annotated bibliography of print and electronic sources suitable for student research. James Nathan, an expert on the Cuban Missile Crisis, provides an interesting narrative with all the high drama of the Crisis, along with a contemporary historical perspective that will help readers to gain an understanding of the event that symbolized the height of the Cold War and its long-term significance.

Table of Contents:
Series Foreword by Randall M. Miller Preface Chronology of Events The Cuban Missile Crisis Explained Introduction Kennedy, Apocalyptic Power, and the Cold War Backdrop Enter Cuba Cuba: Cold War Competition and Containment by Stealth The Politics of a "Perfect Failure" "Blowback" and Berlin Cuba: "The Top Priority in the United States Government--All Else Is Secondary" August 1962: Spotting the Buildup, Planning for the Worst Thirteen Days on the Brink of War The Nuclear Dimension Conclusion Biographies: The Personalities Behind the Cuban Missile Crisis Bibliography Index

About the Author :
JAMES A. NATHAN is Khaled bin Sultan Eminent Scholar at Auburn University, Montgomery./e A former Foreign Service Officer, he has also taught at the University Delaware, Johns Hopkins University, SAIS, the Naval War College and the Army War College. He is the author or coauthor of six books and some 70 articles on international affairs.

Review :
.,."excellent book....this is a resource book directed to students and the general reader. Clearly written, with keen insight and analysis, it is one the better accounts available about this historic confrontation."-History: Reviews of New Books ?...excellent book....this is a resource book directed to students and the general reader. Clearly written, with keen insight and analysis, it is one the better accounts available about this historic confrontation.?-History: Reviews of New Books ?[This] is an exceptional series, and this volume is a perfect example. The text is crisp, forceful, and impeccably fair. although written to be easily digested, the work is thoroughly documented. Conclusions and analysis are judicious and insightful....a wonderful reference source for teacher preparation or library reference use. Many somewhat similar reference books...have appeared recently, but none come close to the value of this contribution....this is the mose useful source for history teachers at both the high school and college levels.?-The History Teacher ?[T]his book is intended for students, though scholars will find it engaging too....[T]he book includes features that makes it superb for instructional purposes.?-Caribbean Studies "ÝThis¨ is an exceptional series, and this volume is a perfect example. The text is crisp, forceful, and impeccably fair. although written to be easily digested, the work is thoroughly documented. Conclusions and analysis are judicious and insightful....a wonderful reference source for teacher preparation or library reference use. Many somewhat similar reference books...have appeared recently, but none come close to the value of this contribution....this is the mose useful source for history teachers at both the high school and college levels."-The History Teacher "ÝT¨his book is intended for students, though scholars will find it engaging too....ÝT¨he book includes features that makes it superb for instructional purposes."-Caribbean Studies ..."excellent book....this is a resource book directed to students and the general reader. Clearly written, with keen insight and analysis, it is one the better accounts available about this historic confrontation."-History: Reviews of New Books "[T]his book is intended for students, though scholars will find it engaging too....[T]he book includes features that makes it superb for instructional purposes."-Caribbean Studies "[This] is an exceptional series, and this volume is a perfect example. The text is crisp, forceful, and impeccably fair. although written to be easily digested, the work is thoroughly documented. Conclusions and analysis are judicious and insightful....a wonderful reference source for teacher preparation or library reference use. Many somewhat similar reference books...have appeared recently, but none come close to the value of this contribution....this is the mose useful source for history teachers at both the high school and college levels."-The History Teacher