Who led the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

The Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis was led by Nikita Khrushchev. He was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 1958 to 1964 and played a crucial role in the Cold War dynamics, including the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962.

Khrushchev's decision to place nuclear missiles in Cuba was a pivotal moment in the Cold War, leading to a tense 13-day standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union. This event exemplified the heightened tensions and the threat of nuclear conflict during this era. His leadership during this crisis was marked by both aggression and a willingness to negotiate, ultimately leading to a resolution that avoided direct military confrontation.

The other leaders mentioned have significant historical import but were not associated with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Joseph Stalin, who led the Soviet Union prior to Khrushchev, had died in 1953, and his policies shaped earlier Cold War events. Leon Trotsky was a key figure in the early years of the Soviet Union but was expelled from the Communist Party and subsequently assassinated in the late 1930s, long before the Cuban Missile Crisis unfolded. Mikhail Gorbachev, who led the Soviet Union in the 198