The weapons still present

Withdrawal was a process. Soviet missile forces had to dismantle equipment and move it to ports while the United States sought evidence that the agreement was being carried out. Further discussions covered the IL-28 bombers.

Less visible to Washington were the tactical nuclear weapons still on the island. Soviet records published later show that their removal required a separate decision. The last Soviet nuclear warheads left Cuba on 1 December 1962.

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Kennedy speaks into a microphone behind a lectern bearing the presidential seal.
Kennedy addresses the nation about the dismantling of Soviet missile bases in Cuba, 2 November 1962. This is the later follow-up broadcast.Robert Knudsen, White House Photographs, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, KN-C24800. Converted to WebP without cropping. Source record · Public domain — US government workView full image ↗

The Soviet–Cuban aftermath

Mikoyan's negotiations with Castro were necessary to preserve an alliance strained by the October settlement. Cuban leaders wanted security and recognition as participants in decisions affecting their country. Moscow wanted the weapons withdrawn without losing its ally.

The documents from these exchanges complicate a simple winner-and-loser account. Different governments assessed the outcome against different aims, and public claims of success did not reveal every concession.

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Reducing one danger did not end the rivalry

The crisis gave renewed urgency to efforts to limit nuclear risks. In August 1963, the United States, Soviet Union and United Kingdom signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty. It prohibited nuclear testing in the atmosphere, outer space and under water.

Underground tests were not generally banned by this treaty. Nor did it abolish nuclear weapons. It was a limited but significant agreement, and Britain's role belongs within the wider aftermath of October.

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