It was an announcement for the ages. The presidents of Cuba and the United States proclaimed their agreement to normalize relations between their countries in December after being estranged for more than 50 years.

Their words brought images of the Cold War and of an island that captured the imagination of many.

It’s been a frosty association for the two nations going back to the early 1960’s, when the U.S. imposed an embargo against Cuba. And they have remained frozen in their political stance ever since.

As a big thaw between the two nations begins, Correspondent Michael Voss in Havana takes a look back at the tumultuous times the U.S. and Cuba have endured in their relationship for over half a century.

From the Bay of Pigs to the Cuban Missile Crisis to Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama shaking hands, we recount the rocky relationship that has existed between Cuba and the United States as they forge a new path into the future.

You might recall, it was at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in September 2013 when U.S. President Barack Obama shook hands with Cuba’s President Raul Castro for the first time. They met again last April at the Summit of the Americas in Panama City.

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A history of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the US

From the Bay of Pigs to the Cuban Missile Crisis to Presidents Raul Castro and Barack Obama shaking hands, we recount the rocky relationship that has existed between Cuba and the United States as they forge a new path into the future.