C.8 The Impact of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 1

Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 1

• south america had been as part of the US sphere of influence
• however, fidel castro who had taken over the cuban government in January 1959 was anti-american
• february 1960, castro invited Mikoyan (deputy chairman of soviet council of ministers) to Havana
• krushchev threatened USA with missile attack if it invaded Cuba

Question 2

Why were missiles placed in Cuba?

Answer 2

• a base was needed from which they could threaten the US with missiles
• Castro wanted the revolution in Cuba to be defended
• August 1962, Krushchev negotiated the Soviet-Cuban accord with Castro
• over the next few weeks, missiles were deployed to Cuba
• all done without knowledge of US

Question 3

Key Events

Answer 3

• 14th October 1962, US spy plane discovers missiles
• plans drawn up for a possible invasion of Cuba by US forces and an ultimatum to be sent to moscow demanding missiles be withdrawn–decided by Excomm (set up on 16th October)
• US navy sets up a quarantine zone 1200 km from the cuban coast
• 22nd October, Kennedy announces the existence of the missiles and the quarantine publicly
• soviet warships ordered to challenge blockade
• 24th October, soviet warships turn back
• 26th October, due to fear of an air attack on cuba, Krushchev says he will withdraw missiles
• 26th October, a U2 airplane is shot down
• 27th October, Khrushchev says the missiles will be withdrawn if the Jupiter missile bases in Turkey were dismantled
• Kennedy agrees on the grounds that the decision is not made public

Question 4

Bay of Pigs Incident

Answer 4

• April 1961, 1400 Cuban exiles landed south of havana at Bay of Pigs
• Castro had in anticipation imprisoned thousands of suspects
• invasion was meant to start a revolution against castro but it failed
• castro defeated the invasion and kennedy pulled back US marines and bombing raids that had been planned

Question 5

Long Term Impact of the Crisis

Answer 5

• kennedy’s popularity increased
• krushchev criticised by Mao and Castro–position in USSR weakened
• castro viewed the decision as betrayal–decided that cuba would have to develop its own revolutionary strategy–assists revolutionary movements in the developing world
• superiority of US in nuclear weapons was a shock to soviet leadership, programme to construct ICBMs began
• strength of US navy led to USSR building a larger navy