I was not alive during the Cuban missile crisis. In 1962 during the height of the Cold War the US and Russia were pointing nuclear missiles at each other.

I *thought* that Russia started it but, no, the US started it. The US put nuclear missiles in allied countries pointed at Russia. Russia said "bet" and put missiles in Cuba and the US freaked out.

They could do this because Cuba was a client state and ally of Russia.

But now Cuba is alone.