Question

How did the Cuban missile crises threaten the u.s?

Answer 1

The Cuban government was initially neutral to the superpower competition. The Soviet Union initially was at first uninterested in Cuba, and Castro even toured the U.S. in 1959. Yet Castro frayed the relationship with America when he threatened, and ultimately undertook, reforms that would harm American-owned property in the country. The increasingly hostile relationship with the U.S. provided an opening for the Soviet Union. Castro formed trade ties with Moscow and as Cuba grew closer to the USSR, relations with Washington deteriorated further. The U.S. revoked its diplomatic recognition of Cuba at the beginning of 1961.


link: http://www.cubanmissilecrisis.org/background/frequently-asked-questions/

Answer 2

Basically what happened was that Russia set up a bunch of missiles in Cuba because they needed a place closer to the US to set up a base. Castro was communist and had also just been pissed off by the failed attempt to capture Cuba initiated by the CIA (under JFK). So yeah I mean once Russia set up missiles it's pretty straight forward. It's equivalent to someone pointing a gun to your head. It's pretty threatening.