Sputnik 1, the Soviet satellite launched into orbit in 1957, galvanised the American space programme and was seen as a grim portent by the US. To counter the threat of these weapons, the US installed nuclear rockets in Italy and Turkey. Khrushchev, in turn, began to move missiles to Cuba, then withdrew in the face of firm challenges from Kennedy. That was the media story. The Other Missiles of October by Philip Nash shows that Khrushchev and Kennedy did a secret deal to draw prestige from the affair, Kennedy as a resolute leader and Khrushchev as a saviour of peace. The rockets in Europe were quietly taken away. Neither side could stomach the thought of appearing simply reasonable. It’s a sorry tale. Published by University of North Carolina, $18.95, ISBN 0807846473.
More from 51¶¯Âþ
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending 51¶¯Âþ articles
1
Mathematicians stunned by AI's biggest breakthrough in mathematics yet
2
Photos reveal unexpected details from the world's first atomic test
3
The Selfish Gene at 50: Why Dawkins’s evolution classic still holds up
4
How I used psychology to come back from the worst year of my life
5
The distant world that is our best hope of finding alien life
6
The ‘doomsday’ glacier’s giant ice shelf is about to break away
7
Epic dreaming is leaving people exhausted and distressed
8
The 3 things you need to know about protein, according to an expert
9
Putting CO2 into rocks and getting hydrogen out is climate double win
10
Women’s better memories may delay Alzheimer’s diagnosis by years
