1962 American U-2 plane shot down over Cuba

55 years ago, on October 27, 1962, an American U-2 reconnaissance aircraft was shot down over Cuba by a Soviet anti-aircraft missile. Its pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson, was killed. On this day, called "Black Saturday", the world was especially close to a global nuclear war.

In the morning, a proposal was broadcast on Soviet radio to withdraw American missiles from Turkey in exchange for the withdrawal of Soviet missiles from Cuba. Meanwhile, two US Navy RF-8A Crusader photo reconnaissance aircraft were hit by anti-aircraft guns while overflying Cuba at low altitude, but were able to return to base.

The US military advised President Kennedy to order an invasion of Cuba "before it was too late." Fidel Castro, in turn, suggested that Khrushchev launch a preventive nuclear strike on the United States, saying that the Cuban people were ready to sacrifice themselves for the cause of victory over American imperialism. The Soviet leader replied that "comrade Fidel Castro lost his nerve" and that negotiations with the Americans were going well.