So my US history is a bit rusty, but the way I learned it, the USSR totally had the upper hand with the whole missiles in Cuba situation. Why did they/the US back down? Was it just a collective "Oh fuck, mutual destruction is too real, let's backpedal" or were the reasons more complicated? I'm sure my understanding is at least a little bit colored by winners bias, I learned about it from a US public school.

Just recently became re-interested in this since embargo is lifted now, and Cuba seems like a not awful place to visit (it's no Venezuela).

Last time I asked this question was in high school and I got called a Communist for it.