12. The Cuban Missile Crisis Naval Quarantine (1962)
In October 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the United States imposed a naval “quarantine” on Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from delivering missile components. This action marked the closest the world came to nuclear war, with maritime control being central to crisis management. President John F. Kennedy’s decision to use the term “quarantine” instead of “blockade” was a strategic move to avoid the legal implications of an act of war (britannica.com).
