ABSTRACT
This chapter stresses that the continuous presentation of the dominant historical narrative of the development and internal dynamics of the Missile Crisis has resulted in the neglect and suppression of other dimensions of this historical event. This also applies to the material remains found at the former Soviet nuclear missile bases and with regards to the memories and narratives held by people living in the communities and in the countryside surrounding them. The chapter also presents the background, questions and results of the joint Cuban–Swedish archaeology project, “World Crisis from Below,” that during the last decade has examined the tangible remains of six of the former Soviet strategic nuclear missile bases and the intangible memories and narratives of the Missile Crisis maintained by people living near the old bases and the surrounding Cuban countryside. The goal of this project is to add to the overall and general history of the crisis based on information the gathered from tangible and intangible sources in order to complement, enrich, explain, as well as question the dominant narrative with insights “from below” that will add a human dimension to the crisis and contribute new knowledge about this historical event.
