20. The Cuban Misslie Crisis

Question 1

How far was the Cuban missile crisis from the USA?

Answer 1

90km

Question 2

What happened after Kennedy promised to go tough in the SU in 1961?

Answer 2

He fell short in both the Vienna summit of 1961 and when the soviets built the Berlin Wall

Question 3

What do some historians think about Khrushchevs thoughts of Kennedy?

Answer 3

Some think That Khrushchev thought Kennedy was weak and so he put missiles in Cuba to test Kennedy’s strength while others think Khrushchev was trying to help Cuba defend itself from possible us attack

Question 4

Who ruled Cuba between 1933-1959?

Answer 4

Batista, he ran a corrupt and brutal government

Question 5

How was their a divide amongst Cuban society under Batista’s rule?

Answer 5

American investment allowed many members of the Cuban government and US businessmen to become very wealthy while life for ordinary Cubans was tough

Question 6

What did Cubans decide in the 1950s?

Answer 6

That they were fed up with batista’s regime and a new young lawyer (Fidel Castro) called for a revolution but he was arrested and put into exile

Question 7

What happens to Cuba in 1956?

Answer 7

Castro returned to Cuba with 81 supporters and began a two year guerrilla war campaign against the government and his support grew

Question 8

What happened to Batista after Castro’s revolution?

Answer 8

Batistas government collapsed on 1 January 1959 and Castro declared a new Cuba

Question 9

What did Castro talk about?

Answer 9

A fight by ordinary Cubans for a fairer and freer society and did not talk about communism despite he and his supporters being left wing

Question 10

What did Castro want from America?

Answer 10

To work with them on his visit there shortly after coming to power. Eisenhower refused to meet him

Question 11

What did Castro do to Cuba after the USA refused to work with him?

Answer 11

He began to reorganise the way the country worked and took businesses (including American ones) and industries into state owenership

Question 12

What led to castro being totally reliant on the SU?

Answer 12

As the USA rejected him and so hoped the SU would help him build Cuba’s economy and in response the USA placed and embargo on Cuba (totally banning trade)

Question 13

When was the bay of pigs plan initiated?

Answer 13

1 January 1961 after Kennedy came to power

Question 14

What was the bay of pigs plan?

Answer 14

A large Group of Cuban exiles trained by the CIA would take control of Cuba and the US air force would give them support

Question 15

What did the CIA assume the bay of pig plans would do?

Answer 15

Inspire others in Cuba to take up arms against Castro

Question 16

Was the Bay of pigs plan put in place?

Answer 16

To help Castro’s exiled opponents retake Cuba

Question 17

What actually happened in the bay of pigs invasion?

Answer 17

-most Cubans actually supported Castro and didn’t join the invasion and some senior figures in the US felt their involvement was illegal under international law

Question 18

Why was it decided the Bay of pigs plan was worth the risk?

Answer 18

Because $5 million on preparations was spent on it

Question 19

What consequence did the Bay of pigs plan have on the US?

Answer 19

• The USA had broken international law and been completely humiliated and Kennedy looked weak and incompetent in his first few months of being president.
• Castro was pushed further into alliance with the SU as he knew the Americans still wouldn’t give up

Question 20

When did the Cuban exiles land on the bay of pigs?

Answer 20

17th April 1961. It was a disaster and at last minute Kennedy withdrew support of the US airforce and the exiles were left totally exposed?

Question 21

What happened to the exiles exposed on the bay of pigs?

Answer 21

200 were killed and 1197 was taken prisoner by Castro’s forces. no one in Cuba came to the aid

Question 22

Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

Answer 22

Because overacting could come to nuclear war as the USA still had more nukes that the su

Question 23

Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

Answer 23

• would send the SU the wrong message after warning them to do nothing
• the issue would still exist
• it would make America look weak

Question 24

Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

Answer 24

-good as the USA has well trained US forces and plane technology meant it was safe to take out bases and remove the threat

Question 25

Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

Answer 25

There may not be a 100% success rate and may be seen as too aggressive and could kill some SUs causing the other countries to retaliate

Question 26

Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

Answer 26

-As the strong us army could remove threat and overthrow Castro at the same time

Question 27

Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

Answer 27

The bay of pigs was already a fail, missiles could still be on Cuba and Cuban and SU troops would retaliate

Question 28

Why would diplomatic pressure be a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

Answer 28

It avoids conflicts and would show the USA was serious but not aggressive and it means organisations like the UN could help resolve issues before it got out of hand

Question 29

Why would diplomatic pressure not be a good idea for Kennedy to deal with the missile crisis?

Answer 29

As if it failed and the USA was forced to back down, then it would show weakness

Question 30

Why was a blockade a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

Answer 30

It would weaken Cuba as no more supplies from the SU could reach it

Question 31

Why would a blockade over Cuba be a bad way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

Answer 31

As it meant the Soviet Union could choose to retaliate and blockade elsewhere like it did to Berlin back in 1940

Question 32

How did the missile crisis positively impact Khrushchev and the SU missiles?

Answer 32

Publicly claimed he agreed to remove the missiles to encourage world peace

Question 33

What did Khrushchev believe his actions led him to imply as a positive outcome of the crisis?

Answer 33

Believed his actions showed that the su was willing to support smaller countries against the USA

Question 34

How did the missile crisis positively effect Cuba’s relationship with the su?

Answer 34

Cuba and the SU remained close allies for the remainders of the Cold War much to the USA’s frustration