It turns out that much of what we think we know about one of the most studied episodes in modern history is either inaccurate or incomplete. Even more alarming, much of what Kennedy thought he knew about Soviet actions and motivations rested on flawed intelligence reports.

Far from being an example of “matchlessly calibrated” diplomacy – a term used by Camelot historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr – the missile crisis is better understood as a prime illustration of the ever-present “screwup factor” in world affairs.

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