CH5: Cuban Missile Crisis / Bay of Pigs

Question 1

Who ruled Cuba before Castro, and when did his rule begin?

Answer 1

Fulgencio Batista, since 1933.

Question 2

How much of Cuba’s economy was controlled by the U.S. before Castro?

Answer 2

40% of the sugar industry and 80% of all Cuban industry.

Question 3

Where did the U.S. have a naval base in Cuba?

Answer 3

Guantanamo Bay.

Question 4

When did Fidel Castro overthrow Batista?

Answer 4

1959.

Question 5

How many guerrilla fighters did Castro have in his revolution?

Answer 5

800 fighters.

Question 6

What was Castro’s main goal?

Answer 6

To free Cuba from U.S. economic control and improve conditions for the people.

Question 7

How did Castro challenge U.S. economic control?

Answer 7

He confiscated U.S.-owned property and redistributed land to the poor.

Question 8

Why did the U.S. suspect Castro of being a Communist?

Answer 8

Because he seized American property and allied with the USSR.

Question 9

How did the U.S. respond to Castro’s reforms in 1960?

Answer 9

1. July 1960: The U.S. banned sugar imports from Cuba.
2. October 1960: The U.S. cut all trade with Cuba.

Question 10

Which country started buying Cuban sugar and supplying weapons after the U.S. embargo?

Answer 10

The Soviet Union (USSR).

Question 11

When did President Eisenhower approve a CIA plan to train Cuban exiles to invade?

Answer 11

Spring 1960.

Question 12

When did the Bay of Pigs invasion take place?

Answer 12

17 April 1961.

Question 13

How many anti-Castro Cubans were trained for the invasion?

Answer 13

1,500.

Question 14

What mistakes led to the failure of the invasion?

Answer 14

1. CIA misread reconnaissance photos and thought reefs were seaweed, damaging landing craft.
2. Castro had 20,000 troops ready with tanks and modern weapons.
3. The Cuban people did not support the invasion.

Question 15

What happened to the anti-Castro invaders?

Answer 15

They were either killed or captured.

Question 16

How did the Bay of Pigs failure affect Kennedy?

Answer 16

He was humiliated, and Khrushchev saw him as weak.

Question 17

What was built in August 1961 as a result of Kennedy’s perceived weakness?

Answer 17

The Berlin Wall.

Question 18

What political statement did Castro make in December 1961?

Answer 18

He publicly declared himself a Marxist.

Question 19

When did the USSR publicly announce arms shipments to Cuba?

Answer 19

May 1962.

Question 20

By September 1962, what military resources did Cuba have from the USSR?

Answer 20

1. Missiles
2. Jet fighters
3. Tanks
4. 5,000 Soviet technicians

Question 21

When did Kennedy warn the USSR about turning Cuba into a military base?

Answer 21

11 September 1962.

Question 22

What did a U2 spy plane discover on 14 October 1962?

Answer 22

Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Question 23

How far could the Soviet missiles in Cuba reach?

Answer 23

2,500 miles, covering most of the U.S.

Question 24

What event began the ‘Thirteen Days’ crisis?

Answer 24

16 October 1962 – Kennedy was shown spy photos of nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Question 25

Why did Khrushchev place nuclear missiles in Cuba?

Answer 25

1. To counter U.S. missiles in Turkey. 2. To challenge Kennedy's strength.

Question 26

Where did the U.S. have nuclear missiles threatening the USSR?

Answer 26

NATO countries, especially Turkey.

Question 27

What action did Kennedy take on 22 October 1962?

Answer 27

He announced a 500-mile naval quarantine (blockade) around Cuba.

Question 28

What happened on 24 October when Soviet ships approached the blockade?

Answer 28

They turned back at the last minute.

Question 29

What did Khrushchev offer on 26 October 1962?

Answer 29

To remove missiles if the U.S. lifted the blockade and promised not to invade Cuba.

Question 30

What was Khrushchev’s second demand on 27 October?

Answer 30

That the U.S. remove its missiles from Turkey.

Question 31

How did Kennedy respond to Khrushchev’s demands?

Answer 31

He ignored the second letter and accepted the first offer.

Question 32

What secret deal did Robert Kennedy make with the Soviet ambassador?

Answer 32

The U.S. would remove missiles from Turkey later, but it had to remain secret.

Question 33

When did Khrushchev announce the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba?

Answer 33

28 October 1962.

Question 34

What did the U.S. secretly agree to do in return?

Answer 34

Remove its missiles from Turkey within six months.

Question 35

What nearly caused nuclear war during the crisis?

Answer 35

1. A Soviet submarine captain almost launched a nuclear torpedo. 2. A bear triggered an intruder alarm at a U.S. airbase, nearly leading to a nuclear strike.

Question 36

What major peace initiatives followed the crisis?

Answer 36

1. June 1963: A hotline was set up between Washington and Moscow. 2. August 1963: A Nuclear Test Ban Treaty was signed in Moscow.

Question 37

How did the crisis affect Kennedy’s reputation?

Answer 37

His prestige increased as he was seen as a strong leader.

Question 38

How did the crisis affect Khrushchev’s position?

Answer 38

His prestige declined, and he was dismissed in 1964.

Question 39

How did the crisis affect U.S.-European relations?

Answer 39

France left NATO due to feeling ignored by the U.S. during the crisis.