8 - Cuba

Question 1

Cuban revolution - January 1959

Answer 1

• USA concerned because American businesses had invested heavily in Cuban industry (phone networks, railways etc all controlled by Americans)
• May 1959, Castro nationalised all industry
• February 1960, USSR started to buy Cuban sugar. USA concerned that pro-Soviet regime had been established 145km from US mainland
• July 1960, USA reduced amount of Cuban sugar bought
• January 1961, USA and Cuba broke off diplomatic relations

Question 2

Bay of Pigs - April 1961

Answer 2

• Kennedy concerned with close proximity of Soviet ally = authorised CIA plan to use Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro = USA could claim not to be involved
• April 1961, 1400 Cuban exiles landed in ‘Bay of Pigs’
• expected Cubans would help but many happier under Castro
• 20,000 Cuban soldiers ready to fight off poorly trained exiles

Question 3

Consequences of the Bay of Pigs (2 points)

Answer 3

1 - Kennedy was humiliated
2 - USSR started to provide weapons to Cuba

Question 4

Bay of Pigs meant that Kennedy was humiliated - evidence

Answer 4

• USA had been critical of USSR forcing communism on others + accused it of trying to build an empire in Eastern Europe
• hypocritical because supported an armed uprising against an independent government

Question 5

Bay of Pigs meant that the USSR started to provide weapons to Cuba - evidence

Answer 5

• Castro declared himself a communist
• September 1961, Khrushchev announces USSR would give Cuba military support

Question 6

Steps of the Cuban Missile Crisis (not narrative account just 4 steps)

Answer 6

1 - plane
2 - blockade
3 - telegrams
4 - agreements

Question 7

Step 1 of Cuban Missile Crisis - plane

Answer 7

• 14th October
• U-2 spy plane = photographs that showed intermediate range nuclear missile bases being constructed
• IRBMs would be able to hit almost all US cities due to large range

Question 8

Step 2 of Cuban Missile Crisis - blockade

Answer 8

• Kennedy set up naval blockade
• 54 bombers
• 4 nuclear warheads in case USSR ignored the blockade

Question 9

Step 3 of Cuban Missile Crisis - telegrams

Answer 9

• 24th October Soviet ships met blockade and turned around
• 26th October Khrushchev sent telegram = nuclear warheads removed if USA did not invade Cuba
• 27th October Khrushchev sent telegram = only if missiles in Turkey were removed

Question 10

Step 4 of Cuban Missile Crisis - agreements

Answer 10

• Kennedy agreed to first telegram
• brother met Soviet ambassador and secretly agreed to remove missiles from Turkey
• 28th October Khrushchev sent agreement and crisis ended

Question 11

Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis (3 points)

Answer 11

1 - Missiles
2 - Hotline set up between Washington and Moscow
3 - Limitations placed on nuclear weapons

Question 12

Cuban Missile Crisis led to missile stuff - evidence

Answer 12

• missiles and naval blockade removed from Cuba
• American missiles secretly removed from Turkey

Question 13

Cuban Missile Crisis led to a hotline being set up between Washington and Moscow - evidence

Answer 13

• during crisis had to rely on telegrams = confusing and uncertain
• June 1963 hotline set up to allow immediate contact to resolve future issues promptly

Question 14

Cuban Missile Crisis led to limitations being placed on nuclear weapons - evidence

Answer 14

• August 1963 Test Ban Treaty - no testing of nuclear weapons in outer space, underwater, or in the atmosphere
• 1967 Outer Space Treaty - agreed not to use space for military purposes + specifically ruled out putting nuclear weapons into orbit
• Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty - agreed not to share nuclear technology with other countries

Question 15

Narrative account - tensions over Cuba, 1959 - 1963

Answer 15

1 - Cuban Revolution, Jan 1959
Revolution led by Fidel Castro against pro-American government, USA concerned because US businesses controlled oil refineries, railways, phone networks
2 - USSR/Cuban relations vs USA/Cuban relations
Feb 1960 - USSR start to buy Cuban sugar. USA concerned that pro-Soviet regime 145km from USA
3 - Bay of Pigs, April 1961
1400 Cuban exiles landed in ‘Bay of Pigs’. Failed because many Cubans happier under Castro + 200,000 Cuban soldiers were waiting
4 - Photos of missile sites, 14th October
U-2 spy plane took photos of IRBM bases, high range so could hit all major US cities = threat to national security
5 - Kennedy’s naval blockade
54 bombers, 4 nuclear warheads in case USSR ignored blockade. 24th October Soviet ships reached blockade and turned around.