20. The Cuban Misslie Crisis Flashcards
How was American Influence in Cuba prior?
What did America control over their economy wise how it contribute
1) presidents believed in Cuba due to it being 145 km away thus American sphere of influence
2) by 1950s USA controlled most of Cuba’s Indurstry: railways and electricity production.
3) popular holiday destination for Americans
4) primary sugar exports here
How far was the Cuban missile crisis from the USA?
145km
Who ruled Cuba between 1933-1959?
Batista, he ran a corrupt and brutal government who’s was unpopular with Cubans but supported by USA
How was their a divide amongst Cuban society under Batista’s rule?
American investment allowed many members of the Cuban government and US businessmen to become very wealthy while life for ordinary Cubans was tough
How the Cuban revolution (when) happen
Why was this nightmare for USA
What USA do to respond(2)
1959
1) Castro took control of all America. Property that was located in Cuba
2) removed capitalist companies , us nightmare as socialist leader on doorstep
3) responded by threatening to bankrupt whole economy by banning sugar imports.
- also refused to acknowledge his govenment as they knew it had connections to communism
How did soviet Cuban relations development(5)
How was Castro seen as?
1) turned to the east, and Krushcev was delighted to have such a close ally to us mainland
2) bought the Cuban sugar saving economy
3) the. Sent weapons to Cuba in 59/60,
4) diplomats of Su fisted Castro
5) openly Promised to send military assurance in a speech and this helped increase the relations …
Castro seen as a “beacon, a hopeful lighthouse to all unfortunate exploited people of Latin America “
What did Eisenhower initiate before end of presidency, after breaking diplomatic relations in
1) what aim
2) who trained
3) what budget
4) what called
5) how many dons
1) initiate a scheme where Cuban exiles from when Castro seized control in USA would be trained in preparation for an invasion into Cuba to remove Castro . Kennedy succeeding Castro in 1962 took over this
2) trained by CIA in Florida and Guatemala
3) budget was 45$milliom
4) called la brigade 2506
5) 1500
When was the bay of pigs plan initiated?
1 January 1961 after Kennedy came to power, following Eisenhower’s scheme
How did the bay of pigs incident roughly go down?
How many Castro men did they encounter
HIW MANY DIED AND IMPRSIONED
What happened in 1962 to the prisoners?
1)US planes bombed the Cuban airforce
2) however the second wave was cancelled, allowing remnants of Cuban airforce to regroup and fight again the day after
3( la brigade landed at the bay of pigs but encountered 20000 men from Castro’s army
4)as a result fighting ended, where 100 la brigade died and 1.1k arrested
5) finally in 1962 the
Prisoners were released after citizens and organisations in USA raised $53million in food and medicine to Cuba
Why did the bay of pigs fail ?
What did the CIA assume the bay of pig plans would do?
1) CIA thought they would Inspire others in Cuba to take up arms against Castro, however misjudged the fact that Castro was extremely popular
2) Castro already know about an invasion due to some exiles discussing it in Miami
3) decision to not attack again second time failed it really. No match for the rest of the soldiers.
What consequence did the Bay of pigs plan have on the US and Kennedy?And on Castro? (4consequences)
What did Castro do much to their demise at the end of 1961
1) Castro was losing support because of economy yet this mad him stronger due to patriotic and united Cuba now.
2) similarly USA lost support for the people in Latin America as The USA had broken international law and been completely humiliated and Kennedy looked weak and incompetent in his first few months of being president.
3) Castro was pushed further into alliance with the SU . At the end of 196, he declared him being communist…
4) Su had claims to put missiles in Cuba now to “protect them”
What was Operation mongoose?
As Kennedy humiliated he wanted to rid Cuba of Castro.
- mongoose was a secret operation to do so
How was Krushcev able to get away with building missiles in Cuba?
How did this happen then
But what SITUATION CHANGED EVERYTHING?? What date too, when operational
But what was the most scary thing for America!?
1) said he was defending cuba for future attack like bay of pigs
2) 1962 sep soviet technicians began to install ballistic missiles. These were NOT offensive too, unlike ones in turkey
3) 14 the October U-2 spy plane took photos of Cuba which showed soviet IRBMS in construction. Estimated operational by November .
4) they could hit any us city so serious threat to America, panic now…
Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?
Because overacting could come to nuclear war as the USA still had more nukes that the su
Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?
- would send the SU the wrong message after warning them to do nothing
- the issue would still exist
- it would make America look weak
Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?
-good as the USA has well trained US forces and plane technology meant it was safe to take out bases and remove the threat
Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?
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
Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?
-As the strong us army could remove threat and overthrow Castro at the same time
Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?
The bay of pigs was already a fail, missiles could still be on Cuba and Cuban and SU troops would retaliate
Why would diplomatic pressure be a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?
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
Why would diplomatic pressure not be a good idea for Kennedy to deal with the missile crisis?
As if it failed and the USA was forced to back down, then it would show weakness
Why was a blockade a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?
It would weaken Cuba as no more supplies from the SU could reach it
Why would a blockade over Cuba be a bad way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?
As it meant the Soviet Union could choose to retaliate and blockade elsewhere like it did to Berlin back in 1940
What was Kennedy reaction ? To the bombs in Cuba
What 5 options
Next 13 days would be the longest 1) Kennedy set up a team of 12 advisers including his brother Robert . Discussed these options -bomb Cuba and su nuclear wise - invade Cuba - use air stoke to destroy the missiles - blockade cuba - do nothing
