What was a principal action taken by U.S. warships during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?

During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, a critical action taken by U.S. warships was to implement a naval blockade, officially referred to as a "quarantine," around Cuba to prevent the delivery of further Soviet military supplies and to control the situation. The U.S. Navy focused on monitoring and inspecting vessels approaching Cuba, particularly those flagged by the Soviet Union.

While the aim was to deter and prevent any potentially offensive shipments from reaching Cuba, U.S. forces were under strict directives to avoid engaging in direct hostilities unless absolutely necessary. The intention was to maintain pressure on the Soviet Union without escalating to armed conflict. Therefore, the commitment to sinking vessels was not the chosen course of action; instead, the approach relied on enforcing the blockade and inspecting ships.

The other answer choices diverge from the established historical actions taken. No surrender occurred, and there was no intention to engage NATO forces in combat since the crisis primarily involved the United States and the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the situation did not involve a peace treaty with Cuba at that time, but rather a negotiated settlement that involved the removal of missiles from Cuba in exchange for U.S. commitments regarding missile installations in Turkey and a promise not to invade Cuba. The naval blockade was thus the