In October 1962, the presence of nuclear missiles on the island of Cuba brought the world to the brink of catastrophe. The ensuing Cuban Missile Crisis was also a pivotal moment in the decline of the USSR.

The islands of the Caribbean, which are today popular tourist destinations, were once home to some of the most concentrated suffering in human history. Above all, it was the Caribbean sugar industry that fueled the inhumanity of the Atlantic Slave Trade.

The unlikely success of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement in the late 1950's is one of the most fascinating underdog stories in world history, and it set the stage for the most dramatic moment of the Cold War.

For a relatively small island nation, Cuba has consistently had an outsized impact on world history, shaping the destinies of empires and superpowers. Cuba's destiny in the modern world was forged, above all, by one man - Fidel Castro.

The Space Race began as a mere extension of the Cold War arms race, but it soon took on a life of its own. The achievements of the Soviet space program early in the race set the standard for all future space exploration.

The Hungarian Revolution of 1956 was one of the most remarkable events of the 20th Century, and it led to a significant escalation of the Cold War.

Nikita Khrushchev was a deeply complicated figure. He was capable of terrible ruthlessness, but could, at times, come across as a very sympathetic and even admirable figure. Whatever our opinion of him, his impact on the history of the Soviet Union is undeniable.

On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin died from a cerebral hemorrhage, setting in motion a struggle for power between his subordinates.

Despite their emergence as a superpower, the postwar Soviet Union faced a series of challenges brought on by the destruction of the war and economic mismanagement by Stalin and the Communist Party.

In July 1945, the leaders of the Big Three came together to decide the fate of the world in Potsdam, Germany. As they prepared to meet, an explosion in the New Mexico desert would fundamentally change the world forever.