On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the American public and revealed that the Soviet Union was placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the US coast. Within hours, the United States military began preparing for the possibility of nuclear war. For the B-52 Stratofortress fleet of the Strategic Air Command, that preparation meant going to a state of readiness that had never been reached before and has never been reached since.&nbsp;DEFCON 2 — One Step From Nuclear War&nbsp;On October 26, 1962, the US raised the alert status of the Strategic Air Command to DEFCON 2, the highest state of readiness below the actual launch of nuclear weapons. SAC would remain at DEFCON 2 until November 21, nearly a full month. During this period, approximately one-eighth of the entire B-52 fleet was airborne at all times, with the remaining aircraft on 15-minute ground alert, engines ready, crews in cockpits, nuclear weapons loaded, prepared to take off and proceed to assigned Soviet targets within minutes of a presidential order.&nbsp;65 Bombers In The Air At Every Moment&nbsp;At the peak of the crisis, SAC maintained 65 nuclear-armed B-52 bombers in the air continuously, 24 hours a day. The command launched up to 75 B-52 sorties per day to sustain this airborne alert. Over the course of the crisis, B-52s flew 2,088 individual sorties and accumulated 41,168 flying hours, an extraordinary tempo of operations that pushed crews, aircraft, and ground support to their limits. Every single one of those bombers was carrying live thermonuclear weapons, ready to proceed to pre-assigned targets deep inside the Soviet Union if the order came.&nbsp;133 Tankers A Day To Keep Them Flying&nbsp;Keeping 65 B-52s airborne around the clock required a massive aerial refuelling operation. SAC launched 133 KC-135 Stratotanker sorties per day at the height of the crisis to refuel the bombers in the air. The tanker fleet operated on a continuous cycle, taking off, rendezvousing with B-52s at designated refuelling points over the Arctic and the Atlantic, transferring fuel, returning to base, refuelling themselves, and launching again. The logistical scale of the operation was staggering: thousands of crew members across hundreds of aircraft, all operating under the premise that nuclear war could begin at any moment.&nbsp;The Only Time It Ever Happened&nbsp;The Cuban Missile Crisis airborne alert remains the only confirmed time in United States history that the B-52 fleet was placed on continuous nuclear airborne alert at this scale and intensity. Operation Chrome Dome, the routine peacetime airborne alert programme, typically kept a much smaller number of bombers aloft. The October 1962 surge was something qualitatively different: a full-scale, sustained wartime footing maintained for nearly a month, with live nuclear weapons in the air over American, Arctic, and Atlantic airspace every minute of every day. When the crisis ended and the alert status was lowered on November 21, the B-52 crews who had flown those missions had participated in the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war, from the cockpits of the aircraft that would have started it.

In October 1962, SAC kept 65 nuclear-armed B-52s airborne 24/7 at DEFCON 2. They flew 2,088 sorties in one month. It is the closest the world has come to nuclear war.

On October 22, 1962, President John F. Kennedy addressed the American public and revealed that the Soviet Union was placing nuclear missiles in Cuba, 90 miles from the US coast. Within hours, the United States military began preparing for the possibility of nuclear war. For the B-52 Stratofortress fleet of the Strategic Air Command, that preparation meant going to a state of readiness that had never been reached before and has never been reached since. DEFCON 2 — One Step From Nuclear War On October 26, 1962, the US raised the alert status of the Strategic Air Command to DEFCON 2, the highest state of readiness below the actual launch of nuclear weapons. SAC would remain at DEFCON 2 until November 21, nearly a full month. During this period, approximately one-eighth of the entire B-52 fleet was airborne at all times, with the remaining aircraft on 15-minute ground alert, engines ready, crews in cockpits, nuclear weapons loaded, prepared to take off and proceed to assigned Soviet targets within minutes of a presidential order. 65 Bombers In The Air At Every Moment At the peak of the crisis, SAC maintained 65 nuclear-armed B-52 bombers in the air continuously, 24 hours a day. The command launched up to 75 B-52 sorties per day to sustain this airborne alert. Over the course of the crisis, B-52s flew 2,088 individual sorties and accumulated 41,168 flying hours, an extraordinary tempo of operations that pushed crews, aircraft, and ground support to their limits. Every single one of those bombers was carrying live thermonuclear weapons, ready to proceed to pre-assigned targets deep inside the Soviet Union if the order came. 133 Tankers A Day To Keep Them Flying Keeping 65 B-52s airborne around the clock required a massive aerial refuelling operation. SAC launched 133 KC-135 Stratotanker sorties per day at the height of the crisis to refuel the bombers in the air. The tanker fleet operated on a continuous cycle, taking off, rendezvousing with B-52s at designated refuelling points over the Arctic and the Atlantic, transferring fuel, returning to base, refuelling themselves, and launching again. The logistical scale of the operation was staggering: thousands of crew members across hundreds of aircraft, all operating under the premise that nuclear war could begin at any moment. The Only Time It Ever Happened The Cuban Missile Crisis airborne alert remains the only confirmed time in United States history that the B-52 fleet was placed on continuous nuclear airborne alert at this scale and intensity. Operation Chrome Dome, the routine peacetime airborne alert programme, typically kept a much smaller number of bombers aloft. The October 1962 surge was something qualitatively different: a full-scale, sustained wartime footing maintained for nearly a month, with live nuclear weapons in the air over American, Arctic, and Atlantic airspace every minute of every day. When the crisis ended and the alert status was lowered on November 21, the B-52 crews who had flown those missions had participated in the closest the world has ever come to nuclear war, from the cockpits of the aircraft that would have started it.

In October 1962, as the world came closer to nuclear war than at any other point in history, the US Strategic Air Command put its B-52 fleet on DEFCON 2, one step below nuclear war.&nbsp;

'Cuban missile crisis': 65 nuclear-armed B-52s were in the air at every single moment for a month

US strategic bombers were placed on full alert, and missiles were prepared for potential launches. The risk of unintended escalation grew by the hour as Soviet ships approached the quarantine line.

US strategic bombers were placed on full alert, and missiles were prepared for potential launches. The risk of unintended escalation grew by the hour as Soviet ships approached the quarantine line.

'The closest we ever came to nuclear war!': The untold story of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the near-launch

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine will visit Havana next week, Cuba's communist authorities said on Thursday (Jun 6). The sub will not be carrying nuclear weapons, but the move has reminded the world of the infamous 1962 Cuban missile crisis.&nbsp;

Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces said in a statement that the nuclear submarine Kazan and three other Russian naval vessels, including the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov, an oil tanker and a salvage tug, will dock in the Cuban capital from June 12-17.&nbsp;

"None of the vessels is carrying nuclear weapons, so their stopover in our country does not represent a threat to the region," the ministry said.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/french-spy-arrested-in-russia-after-macrons-fighter-jet-support-to-ukraine-729606">French 'spy' arrested in Russia following Macron's fighter jets offer to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;

Despite the ministry's clarification that the vessels will not carry nuclear weapons, the unusual deployment has alarmed the West, especially the United States as the Russian military is going to be so close to America. Although, so far, there's no official comment from the US.&nbsp;

The deployment has been announced amid tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently unleashing a slew of new nuclear threats.

Putin responded to the decision by the US and its European allies to allow Ukraine to attack some Russian territory using their weapons, especially long-range missiles.&nbsp;

The Russian president suggested he could provide arms to countries to hit Western targets as he&nbsp;revives nuclear threat once again.&nbsp;

Last month, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with his Russian counterpart for the annual May 9 military parade on Red Square outside the Kremlin. Both nations have come closer since a 2022 meeting between Diaz-Canel and Putin.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-succession-plan-out-daughters-appear-at-key-economic-summit-to-support-father-729587">Putin succession plan out? Daughters appear at key economic summit to support father</a>&nbsp;

<h2>Do we know about the 1962 Cuban missile crisis?</h2>

The Cuban missile crisis was a major confrontation between the US and the then-Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.&nbsp;

The crisis erupted in 1962, which lasted over a month, when the Soviet Union responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba. Then, the Soviet Union, formerly Russia, also included Ukraine.&nbsp;

In 1960, the former premier of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet arms, assuming that the US would not prevent the installation of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Cuba.&nbsp;

The incident escalated to a level when the world feared a catastrophic nuclear attack. And if launched from Cuba, such missiles could reportedly hit much of the eastern US within a few minutes.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Russia accuses Kyiv of using US&nbsp;ATACMS missiles to hit civilian targets in Luhansk&nbsp;

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Claims and counterclaims continued until then US President John F Kennedy intervened. He was busy with the elections, but when he learned about the installations, he consulted security advisors. He even received suggestions that the US should launch an air strike.&nbsp;

But he decided to place a naval "quarantine," or blockade, on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of missiles. He issued a warning that US forces would seize "offensive weapons and associated material" if Soviet vessels tried to deliver them to Cuba.&nbsp;

The crisis was eventually averted, Soviet ships altered their course and moved away from the quarantined zone, with Khrushchev later in the year informing Kennedy that the missiles already in Cuba would be returned to the Soviet Union and work on the missile sites would be halted.&nbsp;

Some reports have even mentioned that Kennedy had secretly promised to withdraw the nuclear-armed missiles from Turkey and that he committed the US would never invade Cuba.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine will visit Havana next week, Cuba's communist authorities said on Thursday (Jun 6). The sub will not be carrying nuclear weapons, but the move has reminded the world of the infamous 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

A Russian nuclear-powered submarine will visit Havana next week, Cuba's communist authorities said on Thursday (Jun 6). The sub will not be carrying nuclear weapons, but the move has reminded the world of the infamous 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Cuba's Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces said in a statement that the nuclear submarine Kazan and three other Russian naval vessels, including the missile frigate Admiral Gorshkov, an oil tanker and a salvage tug, will dock in the Cuban capital from June 12-17. "None of the vessels is carrying nuclear weapons, so their stopover in our country does not represent a threat to the region," the ministry said. Also read: French 'spy' arrested in Russia following Macron's fighter jets offer to Ukraine Despite the ministry's clarification that the vessels will not carry nuclear weapons, the unusual deployment has alarmed the West, especially the United States as the Russian military is going to be so close to America. Although, so far, there's no official comment from the US. The deployment has been announced amid tensions between Moscow and the West over the war in Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin recently unleashing a slew of new nuclear threats. Putin responded to the decision by the US and its European allies to allow Ukraine to attack some Russian territory using their weapons, especially long-range missiles. The Russian president suggested he could provide arms to countries to hit Western targets as he revives nuclear threat once again. Last month, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with his Russian counterpart for the annual May 9 military parade on Red Square outside the Kremlin. Both nations have come closer since a 2022 meeting between Diaz-Canel and Putin. Also read: Putin succession plan out? Daughters appear at key economic summit to support father Do we know about the 1962 Cuban missile crisis? The Cuban missile crisis was a major confrontation between the US and the then-Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The crisis erupted in 1962, which lasted over a month, when the Soviet Union responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba. Then, the Soviet Union, formerly Russia, also included Ukraine. In 1960, the former premier of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet arms, assuming that the US would not prevent the installation of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Cuba. The incident escalated to a level when the world feared a catastrophic nuclear attack. And if launched from Cuba, such missiles could reportedly hit much of the eastern US within a few minutes. Watch: Russia accuses Kyiv of using US ATACMS missiles to hit civilian targets in Luhansk × Claims and counterclaims continued until then US President John F Kennedy intervened. He was busy with the elections, but when he learned about the installations, he consulted security advisors. He even received suggestions that the US should launch an air strike. But he decided to place a naval "quarantine," or blockade, on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of missiles. He issued a warning that US forces would seize "offensive weapons and associated material" if Soviet vessels tried to deliver them to Cuba. The crisis was eventually averted, Soviet ships altered their course and moved away from the quarantined zone, with Khrushchev later in the year informing Kennedy that the missiles already in Cuba would be returned to the Soviet Union and work on the missile sites would be halted. Some reports have even mentioned that Kennedy had secretly promised to withdraw the nuclear-armed missiles from Turkey and that he committed the US would never invade Cuba. (With inputs from agencies)

Cuban crisis 2.0? Russian nuclear sub to dock in Cuba after USA's Ukraine misadventure

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) earlier this week expressed sharp disapproval of the United State's economic embargo on the communist-ruled state of Cuba.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) earlier this week expressed sharp disapproval of the United State's economic embargo on the communist-ruled state of Cuba. As many as 185 countries voted in favour of a resolution that condemned the embargo while the US and its ally Israel voted against it. Brazil and Ukraine abstained from voting. Notably, this was the 30th time that the UN had rebuked the US policy of imposing crippling economic sanctions. However, taking a politically correct line on the resolution which is non-binding in nature, US Political Coordinator John Kelley told the assembly: “The United States opposes this resolution, but we stand with the Cuban people and will continue to seek ways to provide meaningful support to them.” Read more: US sanctions Cuba for repressing protests However, Havana was not much pleased with Washington's superficial sincerity. Yuri Gala, Cuba’s deputy representative at the UN slammed the US without mincing words. "Cuba does not need lessons on democracy and human rights, much less from the United States. If the United States government was really interested in the welfare, human rights and self-determination of Cubans, it could lift the blockade." WATCH | Cuban Americans still oppose any change in US-Cuba relations × The US first imposed the embargo on the Caribbean country in 1960 after the Cuban revolution led by communist leader Fidel Castro. The embargo imposed has remained largely unchanged since. The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 further deteriorated relations and caused irreparable damage. Read more: 1962 Cuban missile crisis: When world was on brink of nuclear war, like it is now over Ukraine Since then, the two rival countries have been at it with each other. The Biden administration has not toned down substantially from his predecessor Donald Trump's policies on Cuba either. Last year, the Biden administration designated Cuba as a 'state sponsor of terrorism'. According to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, the embargo has cost the Cuban economy approximately $6.35 billion during Biden's 14 months in office so far. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

UNGA passes resolution condemning US embargo on Cuba for the 30th time

Russia's Foreign Minister&nbsp;Sergei Lavrov in an interview on Sunday took a jibe at US President Joe Biden by saying he&nbsp;hoped that the American leader had the intelligence to handle a major conflict akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.&nbsp;

Lavrov said there were "similarities" to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis,&nbsp;partly because Russia was now threatened by Western armaments in Ukraine.

"I hope that in today's situation, President Joe Biden will have more opportunities to understand who gives orders and how," Lavrov said with a faint smile. "This situation is very disturbing."

"The difference is that in the distant 1962, Khrushchev and Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness on the part of Washington and its satellites," Lavrov said.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/eu-urges-russia-to-reverse-decision-to-suspend-grain-deal-529655">EU urges Russia to reverse its decision of suspending Ukraine grain deal</a>

An inquiry for comment made outside of business hours was not immediately answered by White House representatives.&nbsp;

The worst standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cuban crisis&nbsp;has been brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;

After the Bay of Pigs invasion, a US-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overturn communist authority that was foiled by Cuba, and the US deployment of missiles in Italy and Turkey, US&nbsp;President John F. Kennedy learned that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had put nuclear missiles on Cuba.

When the US military dropped depth charges around a Soviet submarine on October 27, 1962, the submarine's skipper attempted to detonate a nuclear bomb. The world was on the verge of a nuclear conflict.&nbsp;

Later on the same day, Kennedy quietly agreed to swap removing all missiles from Cuba for Khrushchev's removal of all missiles from Turkey. The crisis was resolved, but it served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of superpower competition during the Cold War.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview on Sunday took a jibe at US President Joe Biden by saying he hoped that the American leader had the intelligence to handle a major conflict akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in an interview on Sunday took a jibe at US President Joe Biden by saying he hoped that the American leader had the intelligence to handle a major conflict akin to the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Lavrov said there were "similarities" to the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, partly because Russia was now threatened by Western armaments in Ukraine. "I hope that in today's situation, President Joe Biden will have more opportunities to understand who gives orders and how," Lavrov said with a faint smile. "This situation is very disturbing." "The difference is that in the distant 1962, Khrushchev and Kennedy found the strength to show responsibility and wisdom, and now we do not see such readiness on the part of Washington and its satellites," Lavrov said. Also Read: EU urges Russia to reverse its decision of suspending Ukraine grain deal An inquiry for comment made outside of business hours was not immediately answered by White House representatives. The worst standoff between Moscow and the West since the Cuban crisis has been brought on by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. After the Bay of Pigs invasion, a US-backed attempt by Cuban exiles to overturn communist authority that was foiled by Cuba, and the US deployment of missiles in Italy and Turkey, US President John F. Kennedy learned that Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev had put nuclear missiles on Cuba. When the US military dropped depth charges around a Soviet submarine on October 27, 1962, the submarine's skipper attempted to detonate a nuclear bomb. The world was on the verge of a nuclear conflict. Later on the same day, Kennedy quietly agreed to swap removing all missiles from Cuba for Khrushchev's removal of all missiles from Turkey. The crisis was resolved, but it served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of superpower competition during the Cold War. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Russian foreign minister needles Biden by bringing up Cuban missile crisis

It’s the 60th anniversary of the 1962 Indo-China War today. It&nbsp;was on October 20th in 1962 that China's People's Liberation Army invaded India and inflicted major casualties on the ill-prepared, ill-equipped Indian Army and occupied 14,500 square miles of territory in Aksai Chin.&nbsp;The situation was so grave that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was compelled to ask US President John F Kennedy for immediate American military aid. 
 
China had chosen an opportune time for the invasion, which it never admits and rather still claims to be a ‘counterattack’, since the Cuban Missile Crisis was brewing around the same time, and the threat of a nuclear Armageddon hogged all global attention and overshadowed everything else. 
 
The battle left deep scars on the Indian military and political class as India’s Fourth Division — famous for its contributions in World War II in North Africa and Italy — was overpowered in a matter of days by the PLA riding on superior firepower, logistics and leadership.&nbsp; 
 
On November 19, 1962, Nehru wrote to Kennedy describing India's “struggle for survival” and a need for “comprehensive assistance if the Chinese are to be prevented from taking over the whole of Eastern India”.&nbsp;

The war ended 24 hours later, with Mao Zedong declaring a unilateral ceasefire and pulling his troops back to a position he had determined earlier. Mao thus unilaterally imposed the border offer he had made to Nehru before the war in November 1959.&nbsp; 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-china-standoff-new-delhi-beijing-begin-disengagement-process-in-ladakh-514128">India-China standoff: New Delhi, Beijing begin disengagement process in Ladakh</a> 
 
The brief war is seen as an embarrassment by the present Indian leadership and public riding on a wave of economic growth and nationalism. It was also a watershed moment in India’s foreign and security policies and marked a transition from the Nehruvian era to a more muscular and realist nation on the international stage. 
 
Nehru had been seeking a cooperative relationship with China, and the now-ridiculed slogan “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai,” had become a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship.

The embarrassing denouement also established that defence and military power should have been priorities for Delhi and that moralpolitik was impractical and had precipitated the crisis.&nbsp; 
 
Even 36 years later, in 1998, the war found mention in the letter of then PM A B Vajpayee to US President Bill Clinton, when he cited it to justify acquisition of nuclear arms by pointing to “an overt nuclear weapon state on our borders, a state which committed armed aggression against India in 1962.” 
 
Officially, China still calls its massive attack on India as a “self-defence counterattack” . A book ‘One Hundred Questions on the China-India Border Self-Defence Counterattack’ compiled by Chinese military researchers mentions that on December 3, 1962, less than two weeks after the unilateral ceasefire, the PLA’s General Staff department issued a telegram to all troops on “The Question of Naming the Operation Against the Invading Indian Army,” which stipulated that the war would only be referred to as the “China-India Border Self-Defence Counterattack”. 
 
ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/indian-army-inducts-swarm-drones-how-it-will-impact-balance-with-china-along-lac-510780">Indian Army inducts swarm drones: How it will impact balance with China along LAC</a> 
 
The Indian Army is celebrating 60 years of the Battle of Walong, a shining example of unparalleled bravery, guts and sacrifice by the soldiers who fought the Chinese onslaught in 1962. Indian soldiers gave a bloody nose to the Chinese in the 'Battle of Walong'. The bravehearts held back the Chinese troops for 27 days, forcing the Chinese generals to deploy their&nbsp;reserve division from Tawang to Walong. 
 
Outnumbered and with little ammunition and no resource of any kind, the valiant troops continued to hold their ground in a classic example of fighting till the last man, last round. The Indian Army is holding a month-long celebration to honour the saga of valour and sacrifice that will continue to inspire the coming generations. 
 
However, much water has flown in the Ganga since and India now doesn’t hesitate in challenging China.

The June 15, 2020 clash in Galwan Valley between Indian and Chinese troops in a hand combat gave the latter a sense of the invigorated response they would have to deal with before daring to do something again.&nbsp; 
 
China had timed the east Ladakh border skirmish once again, when the Covid pandemic was creating havoc and fingers were being pointed at the researches at the Wuhan lab, to divert world’s attention from any culpability.&nbsp; 
 
The economic counteroffensive by the Indian government banning around 280 Chinese apps saying they have been “engaging in activities that are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order” proved the non-military clout it wields now.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-fighter-jet-released-missile-near-british-aircraft-over-black-sea-527105">Russian fighter jet 'released missile' near British aircraft over Black Sea</a>

Indian regulators also took control of the local bank accounts of Chinese leading smartphone maker Xiaomi, for breaching local foreign-currency exchange laws.

China is again raising the hype on Taiwan at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its impact of food, energy supplies has subsumed hauled all attention, even though the US and the West have been steadfast in their support to Taipei.&nbsp; 
 
India is, however, no more an easy cakewalk now, and China knows this well.

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>. 
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It’s the 60th anniversary of the 1962 Indo-China War today. It was on October 20th in 1962 that China's People's Liberation Army invaded India and inflicted major casualties on the ill-prepared, ill-equipped Indian Army and occupied 14,500 square miles of territory in Aksai Chin.

It’s the 60th anniversary of the 1962 Indo-China War today. It was on October 20th in 1962 that China's People's Liberation Army invaded India and inflicted major casualties on the ill-prepared, ill-equipped Indian Army and occupied 14,500 square miles of territory in Aksai Chin. The situation was so grave that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was compelled to ask US President John F Kennedy for immediate American military aid. China had chosen an opportune time for the invasion, which it never admits and rather still claims to be a ‘counterattack’, since the Cuban Missile Crisis was brewing around the same time, and the threat of a nuclear Armageddon hogged all global attention and overshadowed everything else. The battle left deep scars on the Indian military and political class as India’s Fourth Division — famous for its contributions in World War II in North Africa and Italy — was overpowered in a matter of days by the PLA riding on superior firepower, logistics and leadership. On November 19, 1962, Nehru wrote to Kennedy describing India's “struggle for survival” and a need for “comprehensive assistance if the Chinese are to be prevented from taking over the whole of Eastern India”. The war ended 24 hours later, with Mao Zedong declaring a unilateral ceasefire and pulling his troops back to a position he had determined earlier. Mao thus unilaterally imposed the border offer he had made to Nehru before the war in November 1959. ALSO READ | India-China standoff: New Delhi, Beijing begin disengagement process in Ladakh The brief war is seen as an embarrassment by the present Indian leadership and public riding on a wave of economic growth and nationalism. It was also a watershed moment in India’s foreign and security policies and marked a transition from the Nehruvian era to a more muscular and realist nation on the international stage. Nehru had been seeking a cooperative relationship with China, and the now-ridiculed slogan “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai,” had become a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship. The embarrassing denouement also established that defence and military power should have been priorities for Delhi and that moralpolitik was impractical and had precipitated the crisis. Even 36 years later, in 1998, the war found mention in the letter of then PM A B Vajpayee to US President Bill Clinton, when he cited it to justify acquisition of nuclear arms by pointing to “an overt nuclear weapon state on our borders, a state which committed armed aggression against India in 1962.” Officially, China still calls its massive attack on India as a “self-defence counterattack” . A book ‘One Hundred Questions on the China-India Border Self-Defence Counterattack’ compiled by Chinese military researchers mentions that on December 3, 1962, less than two weeks after the unilateral ceasefire, the PLA’s General Staff department issued a telegram to all troops on “The Question of Naming the Operation Against the Invading Indian Army,” which stipulated that the war would only be referred to as the “China-India Border Self-Defence Counterattack”. ALSO READ | Indian Army inducts swarm drones: How it will impact balance with China along LAC The Indian Army is celebrating 60 years of the Battle of Walong, a shining example of unparalleled bravery, guts and sacrifice by the soldiers who fought the Chinese onslaught in 1962. Indian soldiers gave a bloody nose to the Chinese in the 'Battle of Walong'. The bravehearts held back the Chinese troops for 27 days, forcing the Chinese generals to deploy their reserve division from Tawang to Walong. Outnumbered and with little ammunition and no resource of any kind, the valiant troops continued to hold their ground in a classic example of fighting till the last man, last round. The Indian Army is holding a month-long celebration to honour the saga of valour and sacrifice that will continue to inspire the coming generations. However, much water has flown in the Ganga since and India now doesn’t hesitate in challenging China. The June 15, 2020 clash in Galwan Valley between Indian and Chinese troops in a hand combat gave the latter a sense of the invigorated response they would have to deal with before daring to do something again. China had timed the east Ladakh border skirmish once again, when the Covid pandemic was creating havoc and fingers were being pointed at the researches at the Wuhan lab, to divert world’s attention from any culpability. The economic counteroffensive by the Indian government banning around 280 Chinese apps saying they have been “engaging in activities that are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order” proved the non-military clout it wields now. ALSO READ | Russian fighter jet 'released missile' near British aircraft over Black Sea Indian regulators also took control of the local bank accounts of Chinese leading smartphone maker Xiaomi, for breaching local foreign-currency exchange laws. China is again raising the hype on Taiwan at a time when Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and its impact of food, energy supplies has subsumed hauled all attention, even though the US and the West have been steadfast in their support to Taipei. India is, however, no more an easy cakewalk now, and China knows this well. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

60 years of India-China war: It won’t be a cakewalk for the aggressor again

The Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated on Thursday (February 24) when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military action to 'demilitarise' the neighbouring country.

The Russia-Ukraine crisis escalated on Thursday (February 24) when Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military action to 'demilitarise' the neighbouring country. The Russian leader's move came just days after he recognised two breakaway regions — Donetsk People's Republic and the Lugansk People's Republic — in eastern Ukraine as independent. The first shots have been fired amid frenzied diplomacy and sanctions against Russia. Interestingly, a UK minister compared the situation to the Cuban missile crisis, which took place at the height of the Cold War between the Soviet Union --the former avatar or Russia of which Ukraine was also a part -- and the West. Health minister Sajid Javid said that Russia's "invasion" of Ukraine has created a situation as grave as the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, also known as the October Crisis of 1962. So what is the 1962 Cuban missile crisis? The Cuban missile crisis was a major confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. The one-month and four-day long (October 16 – November 20) Cuban missile crisis erupted in 1962 when the Soviet Union responded to a US missile deployment in Turkey by sending ballistic missiles to Cuba. In 1960, the former premier of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev promised to defend Cuba with Soviet arms. He, however, assumed that the US would not prevent the installation of medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in Cuba. If launched from Cuba, such missiles could reportedly hit much of the eastern United States within a few minutes but in 1962, the US learned that such missile shipments to Cuba had begun. The US intelligence also found new military construction and the presence of Soviet technicians. On October 14 US reported the presence of a ballistic missile on a launching site. The installations were confirmed by Air Force U-2 spy plane when they produced clear photographic evidence of medium-range R-12 (NATO code name SS-4) and intermediate-range R-14 (NATO code name SS-5) ballistic missile facilities. This had come in the aftermath of Khrushchev's agreeing to Cuba's request to place nuclear missiles on the island in order to deter any invasion. While responding to the presence of American Jupiter ballistic missiles in Italy and Turkey, and the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion of 1961, Khrushchev had placed nuclear missiles. The agreement between Khrushchev and Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro was reportedly reached during a secret meeting in July 1962. When then US President John F Kennedy, who was busy with the elections, learned about the installations, he convened a meeting of the nine members of the National Security Council and five other key advisers in a group. That later became known as the Executive Committee of the National Security Council (EXCOMM). History books have mentioned that Kennedy received suggestions like air-strike on missile sites, but after careful consideration, he announced a blockade of the island. In order to cancel, further diplomatic manoeuvres, the former US President decided to place a naval "quarantine," or blockade, on Cuba to prevent further Soviet shipments of missiles. Kennedy had warned that US forces would seize "offensive weapons and associated material" if Soviet vessels try to deliver them to Cuba. After the announcement, reports have mentioned that Soviet ships altered their course and moved away from the quarantined zone. Several messages were also exchanged between leaders of both countries as they came close to triggering a nuclear war that could have impacted the world immensely. However, on October 28 of the same year, Khrushchev informed Kennedy that the missiles already in Cuba would be returned to the Soviet Union and work on the missile sites would be halted. The crisis was averted by late November when both sides started to fulfil their part of the agreement. As per reports Kennedy had secretly promised to withdraw the nuclear-armed missiles from Turkey. Reports have also mentioned that Kennedy committed the United States to never invade Cuba. They say history repeats itself, and we don't learn anything from it. Are we in the middle of a crisis similar to 1962?

1962 Cuban missile crisis: When world was on brink of nuclear war, like it is now over Ukraine