3.4 Confrontation between the superpowers

Question 1

Background to Cuba before the revolution

Answer 1

• US had dominated Cuba - 60% of Cuba’s sugar industry was owned by US in 1926
• General Fulgencio Batista: Cuban president 1940-44, 1952-59. Pro-American, brutal, corrupt, repressive, resented by Cubans

Question 2

Cuban Revolution and Castro’s aims

Answer 2

• Jan 1959.
• Castro, a Nationalist, not Communist (at this point) became ruler
• Initially accepted by US
• planned to reduce US political and economic influence to legitimise his revolution and consolidate position as leader - US owned companies seized

Question 3

What lead to the US deciding to overthrow Castro?

Answer 3

• Strengthening relationship with USSR
• Feb 1960 Soviet First Deputy Prime Minister visited Cuba to agree a reciprocal trade agreement
• USSR offered $100m to Cuba, established firm political and economic alliance
• Nationalisation of Cuban interests threatened American economic interests
• April 1960 USSR oil arrived in Cuba. US companies refused to refine it, so Castro nationalised oil companies, US responded with economic sanctions and cut sugar exports by 95%

Question 4

Bay of Pigs

Answer 4

• April 1961
• Cuban exiles met with 20,000 Cuban soldiers. Exiles surrendered due to complete lack of support

Question 5

Effects of Bay of Pigs

Answer 5

• Failure for USA and Kennedy personally
• confirmed US attitude towards its ‘sphere of influence’
• Cuba became closer with USSR - Castro asked for military protection and declared himself a Communist
• US prepared further military responses: Nov 1961 Operation Mongoose, March 1962 Operation Quick Kick

Question 6

Why did Khrushchev place missiles on Cuba?

Answer 6

• Reduce nuclear inferiority: US placed ‘Jupiter’ missiles on Turkey ready for use by 1961
• USSR already behind in arms race (e.g. 1962 US had 203 ICBM to USSR’s 36) and short range missiles more effective than long-range.
• Cuban USSR missiles would give appearance of Soviet strength.
• Consolidate and defend revolution in Cuba (short range missiles would have been sufficient)
• Felt he had the upper hand over Kennedy (1961 Vienna Summit)
• Pressure from Communists: Mao threatening him as leader of Communist world
• felt Khrushchev too soft
• needed victory after failed Berlin Ultimatums to quiet critics

Question 7

13 days

Answer 7

• 16th Oct: JFK informed of Soviet missile presence on Cuba, Excomm established, JFK advised to air strike
• 18th Oct: Soviet Foreign Minister Gromyko assured Kennedy missiles were only for the ‘defensive capabilities of Cuba’
• 22nd Oct: US to DEFCON 3, JFK made televised public address - prepare for nuclear war, ‘quarantine zone’ announced around Cuba (not really legal) to block offensive Soviet weapons entering Cuba
• 23rd Oct: First communication between leaders - Kennedy received letter from Kennedy saying the blockade was an ‘act of aggression’, UN Security Council met, Soviet Ambassador to UN (Zorin) and Soviet Ambassador to USA (Dobrynin) didn’t know about deployment by Moscow
• 24th Oct: 17/18 shipt en route to Cuba reversed their course except for one (test US reaction), JFK said failure to remove missiles would result in Cuban invasion, alert level raised to DEFCON 2
• 25th Oct: Kennedy sent letter to Khrushchev placing responsibility for the Crisis on USSR
• 26th Oct: Khrushchev sent letter to Kennedy offering to withdraw missiles in he promised never to invade Cuba, great deal for Kennedy - looking for solutions
• 27th Oct: Khrushchev sent a second tougher letter: promised to remove missiles from Cuba if US removed theirs from Turkey - Excomm strongly opposed. Castro ordered US U2 spy plane flying over to be shot down. JFK, on Robert Kenedy’s advice, ignored Khrushchev’s second letter and instead agreed to the terms of the first.
• 28th Oct: Khrushchev announced decision to remove missiles from Cuba, Kennedy praised his ‘statesmanlike decision’, Castro felt betrayed

Question 8

Outcomes of Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 8

• Communication - Moscow-Washington Hotline Aug 1963: Most valuable in propaganda as a symbol of cooperation. Crisis had made clear reliable, direct communications were very important
• Removal of Missiles - Quarantine ended Nov 1962, DEFCON dropped to 4, USSR publicly announced intentions to remove missiles from Cuba under US inspection. US secretly removed missiles from Turkey (later - April 1963) - NATO explicitly told no secret agreement had been reached
• Arms controls: Oct 1963 - Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapons Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Underwater (Partial Test Ban Treaty). Didn’t ban testing underground. 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, 1972 Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty (SALT 1) signed
• In USSR’s interests - prevent the missile gap growing
• End of Brinkmanship - dangers of nuclear devastation exposed, improvement in relations, paved way for detente.

Question 9

Consequences of Cuban Missile Crisis for US

Answer 9

• success for Kennedy
• propaganda triumph, aggressive decisive foreign policy
• However Cuba remained Communist

Question 10

Consequences of Cuban Missile Crisis for USSR

Answer 10

• Khrushchev humiliated - had to publicly back down
• deposed in 1964
• reactionary foreign policy

Question 11

Consequences of Cuban Missile Crisis for Cuba

Answer 11

• Castro exposed limits of US containment
• felt betrayed but Cuba was so reliant on USSR there was little he could do