What happened
Anderson was killed over Cuba. Maultsby's separate U-2 flight strayed over Soviet territory. At sea, the B-59 encounter added a danger unknown to political leaders at the time. In Washington, Robert Kennedy and Dobrynin discussed a way out that included a confidential assurance about the Turkish missiles.
Sources for this passage: [1] [2] [3] [4]An illustrated guide
Three separate dangers on 27 October
Over Cuba
Anderson’s U-2 is shot down
A Soviet surface-to-air missile kills Major Rudolf Anderson. Kennedy does not immediately retaliate.
Near the Soviet Union
Maultsby’s U-2 strays off course
A separate air-sampling mission enters Soviet airspace. Maultsby eventually returns safely.
Under the Atlantic
B-59 faces American ships
Explosive signals, poor communications and a nuclear torpedo create a danger unknown to the Americans.
These were separate incidents, not a chain of commands. The political leaders did not have a complete picture of the submarine encounter. Later accounts of B-59 differ.
Sources for this passage: [1] [2] [3]A bargain under the threat of war
A new Soviet message explicitly raised the missiles in Turkey. Bundy warned that an apparent trade could damage NATO; Kennedy questioned whether refusing such a bargain and then attacking Cuba would be defensible. Reports of reconnaissance aircraft encountering fire made these arguments urgent rather than hypothetical.
The administration answered publicly on the basis of missile withdrawal and a non-invasion assurance, while Robert Kennedy conveyed the confidential Turkish assurance to Dobrynin that evening. At the same time, preparations for major military action continued. The public and private channels were complementary parts of the eventual settlement, not alternative explanations that cancel each other out.
Sources for this passage: [5] [6] [7] [4]