The shattered crystal ball: fear and learning in the Cuban missile crisis

This study of the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis provides a contribution to the field of international relations and nuclear psychology. book contains a reassessment of the lessons learned from the crisis. A number of political theorists have indicated that historically, if world leaders had access to a crystal ball, they would have foreseen the dire consequences of their military actions and would have never taken the steps they did. In The Shattered Crystal Ball the author believes the Soviet, Cuban and US leaders were able to look, to see the future shatter and to step back from nuclear disaster. Blight argues that the fear of nuclear war was powerful and that it was the controlling factor in the outcome of the crisis. This study is intended to be of interest to students of political science, psychology, history and US policy analysis and national security.