2.3 Revolts And Crisis

Question 1

Where is cuba?

Answer 1

Island 90 miles of the coast fo florida.

Question 2

Relationship of us and cuba before 1959?

Answer 2

Closely allied, under the leadership of right wing dictator general batista. Considerable us investment in cuba and the usa was the chief consumer of cubas sugar and tobacco

Question 3

Who was fidel castro and how did he increase tensions?

Answer 3

Led a revolution to overthrow batista in 1959. His first move was to go the the usa to secure support for his new state, but Eisenhower refused to speak to him. At the un office in new york , castro talked with representatives of the USSR, and they offered there support for castro . Castro hadn’t been a communist but was drawn by his friendship with khrushchev

Question 4

What did castro do to change cubas economy?

Answer 4

Made is communist. Castro nationalised all american owned companies in cuba, and refused to pay compensation. He increased taxes on goods imported from America. He threatened to stop importing sugar to the us

Question 5

What was castros response after telling america he will no longer sell them sugar?

Answer 5

He made a trade deal with the ussr where he would send them all his sugar

Question 6

What was the trade embargo the us imposed?

Answer 6

Imposed it on cuban goods , depriving them of a market for their sugar and tobacco and the income to import oil and other essential goods.

Question 7

When was the bay of pigs?

Answer 7

April 1961

Question 8

What happened at the bay of pigs?

Answer 8

JFK approved a plan to invade cuba and overthrow communism. CIA landed 1400 cuban exiles at the bay of pigs in southern cuba, with the aim of provoking an anti communist uprising. JFK at the last minute cancelled an order that gave the cubans promised air support. Lack of air support meant rebels were easily defeated, as they were met by 20000 heavily armed cuban troops . All were captured or killed.

Question 9

How did bay of ppigs effect kennedy?

Answer 9

Made him look weak and aggressive.

Question 10

When were missiles discovered in cuba?

Answer 10

October 14 1962

Question 11

How were the missiles discovered in cuba?

Answer 11

An american spy plane flying over cuba took pictures that showed the construction of soviet missile launch sites. Experts said they would be ready to fire in 7 days. Meanwhile another spy plane caught ussr ships carrying nuclear missiles to cuba.

Question 12

Why was cuba such a threat to the us?

Answer 12

Only 90 miles away. In the us’ sphere of influence

Question 13

Why did the ussr want to put nuclear weapons in cuba?

Answer 13

1. Close the missile gap- soviet leader khrushchev knew us had medium and long range missiles in turkey , just on the ussr door step. Could use cuba as a bargaining tool in negotiations about berlin.
2. Domestic politics- Khrushchev wanted to strengthen his political position as home, to show his government he wasn’t soft on america
3. Protect cuba- wanted to support a communist country , next to the us and ensure that the us would not attempt another incident like the bay of pigs

Question 14

What were JFKs options to deal with the ussr threat in cuba?

Answer 14

• ignore missiles
• get un involved
• blockade Cuba
• invade with soldier or launch air attacks

Question 15

What was JFK sresponse?

Answer 15

Final decision was a us blockade of cuba, which kennedy called a ‘quarantine zone’ and which could not stop further soviet missiles coming to cuba buying him time to negotiate with he soviets

Question 16

When did kennedy impose the naval blockade on cuba?

Answer 16

22 October 1962

Question 17

What was the soviets response to the blockade on the 23 October ?

Answer 17

Kennedy receives a letter from khrushchev saying that the soviets ships will not stop at the blockade , but will force their way through

Question 18

What happened on 24 October to Soviet ships?

Answer 18

Despite Khrushchev talk , twenty ships approaching the blockade turn back to avoid direct contact.

Question 19

What did khrushchev state in his letters on the 26 of October and the 27th

Answer 19

Sent a letter promisinh to remove launch sites if usa agree to lift the blockade and dont invade cuba. Second letter says launch sites will be removed if us remove its missile sites in turkey. Kennedy opte to answer only if the first telegram while privately offering to consider removal of missiles from turkey

Question 20

What else did kenedy do on the 22nd?

Answer 20

Demanded khrushcev dismantle missile bases. Us bombers were put in the air carrying nuclear bombs and the usa prepared to invade cuba. The world was on the brink of nuclear war

Question 21

What happened on the 28 October?

Answer 21

Public message by JFK saying khrushchev agreed to removal of all missiles from cuba

Question 22

What were consequences of the cuban missile crisis?

Answer 22

• both sides thought hey won. Khrushchev saved cuba and removed missiles from turkey. JFK kept election promise and stood up to USSR, kept nuclear missiles away from cuba
• a hotline was set up between washington and moscow, to prevent further conflict.
• lead to test ban treaty of 1963, which began the process of ending the testing of nuclear weapons
• also led to the outerspace treaty and nuclear non proliferation treaty

Question 23

What was the limited test ban treaty?

Answer 23

Signed by both power in 1963, it states that all future tests of nuclear weapons had to be carried out under ground, to avoid polluting the air will nuclear radiation

Question 24

What was the outer space treaty?

Answer 24

Drawn up in 1967. It forbade countries including the ussr and us from placing weapons of mass destruction in outer space

Question 25

What was the nuclear non proliferation treaty ?

Answer 25

Cam into force in 1970. Both superpowers agreed to not supply nuclear weapons or related technology to countries that didn’t already have nuclear arms . Treaty also encouraged nuclear disarmament, but allowed countries to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes.

Question 26

What happened in czechoslovakia in 1968?

Answer 26

People attempted to exert some control over their own lives and to create a system of ‘socialism with a human face’.

Question 27

What and when was the Prague spring?

Answer 27

Phrase by Dubcek which meant a socialist model of government but guaranteeing a better delivery of goods and freedoms to the Czech people. Lasted for 4 months in 1968 until crushed by red army

Question 28

What caused the Prague spring?

Answer 28

1. Hardline communist leader Antonin Novotny , was unpopular. His rule was characterised by censorship of the press and lack of personal freedom for ordinary citizens
2. Czech economy was weak and many Czechs were bitter that the ussr controlled their economy for its own benefit. Czech farmers had to follow communist party guidance on what to produce and efforts to modernise farming were discouraged
3. Some Czechs though the us would come to their assistance if they stood up to moscow

Question 29

When did Brezhnev become party secretary?

Answer 29

1968 as Brezhnev did not help crackdown on protests against Novotny, which lead to him being out of office.

Question 30

What did Dubcek announce in April 1968?

Answer 30

Dubcek announced on action plan to deliver ‘socialism with a human face’ which , in a nutshell , meant removing state control of the economy and allowing freedom of speech, he wanted his brand of communism

Question 31

What were the Dubcek reforms?

Answer 31

• travel to the west was made available
• border with west germany reopened
• all industry became decentralised
• trade unions and workers were given more power
• freedom of speech and opposition parties were allowed

Question 32

Soviets views on Dubcek reforms?

Answer 32

• frightened of czechoslovakia improving western relations, didn’t want western influence in soviet bloc
• although Dubcek said to be committed communist, he proposed allowing non communist political parties , which
• said would

Question 33

What was the soviet response for the first four months?

Answer 33

Dubceks policies were tolerated by the ussr

Question 34

Why the ussr were under pressure to intervene in czechoslovakia?

Answer 34

Grew increasingly concerned about the dubceks reforms. Although he promised to be a communist , his reforms gave less power to The USSR. Brezhnev was worried his reforms could lead to a rejection of communism in the eastern bloc. Could lead to domino theory.

Question 35

What made the USSR invade czechoslovakia?

Answer 35

• president Tito of yugoslavia visited Prague. Yugoslavia refused to sign the warsaw pact an have never accepted USSRs version of communism. Trip was a sign that czechoslovakia were no longer loyal to the ussr
• ussr received letters from communists in czechoslovakia , asking for help.

Question 36

What happened in the invasion of czechoslovakia?

Answer 36

August 21st 1968, 500000 troops, 5000 tanks ,26 divisions invaded czechoslovakia . The people responded with non violent demonstrations, they were shot down.

Question 37

How did people protest the soviets?

Answer 37

Took to the streets peacefully with anti invasion banners and in January 1969a stsudent burned himself alive in protest

Question 38

What happened in April 1969 in czechoslovakia?

Answer 38

Dubcek was forcibly removed from office and replaced with Gustav Husak. Husak was loyal to soviet style communism and would ensure czechoslovakia would remain close with the ussr

Question 39

What was the wests response to the prague spring?

Answer 39

• un denounced the invasion and proposed a draft resolution requesting the withdrawal of soviet troops . This was vetoed by the ussr.
• many countries condemned the soviets, but did not intervene, as did not want to interfere in the soviet sphere of influence
• communist parties in west criticised breznhevs reaction and sought to distance themselves from soviet influence.

Question 40

Why the prague spring was good for breznhev?

Answer 40

Could reestablish his authority in eastern bloc. He showed he was prepared to invade satellite state in order to weaken anti western alliance. Also proved to us he was strong and determined leader.

Question 41

Why did the us not get involved in czechoslovakia?

Answer 41

Had a deal with ussr not to get involved if they didn’t get involved in vietnam

Question 42

Why was the prague spring bad for communism overall?

Answer 42

Soviets lost influence. Albania left warsaw pact in 1968, Yugoslavia and Romania distance themselves from soviets and formed an alliance with china

Question 43

What was the breznhev doctrine?

Answer 43

• justified the invasion
• announced in future he would intervene in any country where communism was under threat, they had a right too.
• communism is now a one party system, all countries had to remain in the warsaw pact
• Dubceks actions had threatened to undermine the warsaw pact

Question 44

Significance of the breznehv doctrine?

Answer 44

Strengthened ussrs control over its satellite states

-also sent a message to eastern bloc countries , giving up communism is not an option