1962 will go down in history as one of the most dangerous years ever faced by the human race. 1962 was the year that the United States and the Soviet Union came closest to a nuclear confrontation; a clash that might have resulted in the annihilation of humanity. That hostilities began with the placement of Soviet missiles in Cuba. This uproar became known as the "Cuban Missile Crisis", and ended when the Soviets blinked.
1962 was a year marked by an increase in US commitment to Vietnam that resulted in loss of over 50,000 American lives.
1962 was also the only full year of the Kennedy Presidency. Kennedy’s early presidency was marked by a number setbacks, such as the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Vienna Summit. In 1962, President Kennedy seemed to have reached his stride, as seen by his handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. 1962 was the year of Camelot, a time that would never return to Washington.
America launched John Glenn into space in 1962. Glenn was the first American to circle the earth. 1962 was the year President Kennedy reaffirmed Americas commitment to sending a man to the moon by the end of the decade.
Learn the story of 1962, through videos, photos and text, as we mark its 50 year anniversary.
All photos can be E-Mailed and printed