chapter 4 cold war Flashcards
What was the Cuban Revolution?
Fidel Castro led an armed uprising to bring down the dictatorship of the Cuban president, Fulgencio Batista.
When was the Cuban Revolution?
The Cuban Revolution started in July 1953. Batista was removed from power on 31st December, 1958.
What was the U2 Crisis?
The U2 Crisis happened when the Soviet Union shot down a U2 American spy plane.
What happened in the U2 Crisis?
❖US pilot Gary Powers flew a U2 spy plane over the Soviet Union to spy on its military capabilities.
❖Khrushchev ordered the spy plane to be shot down and Powers was arrested and put on trial as a spy.
❖The USA tried to claim it was only a weather plane, but the Soviets produced clear evidence it was a spy plane.
❖Gary Powers was jailed for ten years by the Soviets.
When was the U2 crisis?
1st May, 1960.
What was the impact of the U2 crisis?
❖Khrushchev stormed out of the Paris Peace Conference in 1960.
❖The idea of the ‘thaw’ in tensions created during de-Stalinisation was over. Tensions were now high again.
❖President Kennedy promised to be tougher on communism.
What happened at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba?
The Bay of Pigs incident involved Cuban exiles, supported by US forces, invading Cuba.
When was the attack at the Bay of Pigs?
17th April, 1961.
Who led the attack at the Bay of Pigs?
Cuban exiles, trained and supported by America, invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.
What happened during the invasion of the Bay of Pigs?
❖Castro learned about the invasion in advance because the planes were recognised as American from photographs.
❖The 1,400 US-backed Cuban exiles were met by an army of 20,000 Cubans.
❖The US-backed Cuban exiles surrendered.
❖Almost all of those in the Cuban exile army were jailed or shot.
What were the consequences of the attack at the Bay of Pigs?
❖The incident meant USA-Cuban relations deteriorated while Soviet-Cuban relations improved.
❖Fidel Castro stayed in power.
❖The USA was totally discredited because it had supported illegal acts. President Kennedy was embarrassed and his position was weakened.
❖In December 1961, Castro stated he and his government were communist.
❖Castro asked Khrushchev for military support in case of future attacks by the USA.
Why did the invasion at the Bay of Pigs fail?
❖The CIA underestimated the strength of the Cubans, who had 20,000 troops and modern tanks and weapons.
❖They also failed to gain the support of the Cuban people, which they assumed they would get.
What was the Cuban Missile Crisis?
The Cuban Missile Crisis, between the USSR and the USA, was one of the most serious Cold War crises. It happened because the USSR placed missiles in Cuba and was the closest the world had been to a possible nuclear war.
When did the Cuban Missile Crisis happen?
The Cuban Missile Crisis lasted for 13 days, from 14th to 28th October, 1962.
Why did the Cuban Missile Crisis happen?
❖The long-term deterioration of the relationship between the USA and Cuba, accelerated by the Cuban Revolution in 1959 and the Bay of Pigs incident in 1961.
❖This pushed Cuba closer to the USSR, which bought Cuban sugar. In return, the Cubans bought oil from the Soviets.
❖Castro had declared himself a Marxist in December 1961.
❖Khrushchev was concerned about the missile gap and the fact the USA had nuclear missiles based in Turkey which could easily reach the USSR.
❖The immediate cause was the deployment of Soviet nuclear missiles to Cuba for protection against possible attack by the USA.
❖Cuba is only 160km south of the US state of Florida, which meant the mainland was within range of any missiles placed on Cuba. The USA therefore felt threatened.
What happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
❖On 14th October, American spy planes spotted missile bases being built on Cuba.
❖On 16th October, Kennedy was informed of the missile build-up and Ex-Comm, an advisory group, was formed.
❖On 20th October Kennedy decided to blockade Cuba. This was a 500-mile naval ‘quarantine’ with the aim of preventing the Soviets from bringing in further military supplies or missiles.
❖On 24th October, Khrushchev stated the USSR would launch nuclear missiles if America went to war in Cuba.
❖The blockade began. When Soviet ships approached the blockade, some stopped and some turned around.
❖On 26th October, Kennedy received a letter from Khrushchev who offered to negotiate if the blockade was removed and the USA did not invade Cuba.
❖On 27th October, Kennedy received a second letter from Khrushchev which offered to remove the missiles if the USA removed its missiles in Turkey.
❖Kennedy’s brother, Robert, negotiated with the Russian ambassador and accepted the offer on condition the removal of missiles from Turkey was kept secret.
❖On 28th October, Khrushchev agreed to the dismantling of the nuclear missiles.
How was the Cuban Missile Crisis solved?
❖Khrushchev agreed to remove missiles from Cuba if the USA removed its warheads from Italy and Turkey.
❖The USA would only agree to the deal if the removal of its missiles from Italy and Turkey was kept secret.
What were the results of the Cuban Missile Crisis?
❖Cuba survived as a communist country.
❖Kennedy assured the world that the USA would never invade Cuba and his public image improved.
❖The Soviet Union looked weak because the world did not know the USA had removed its missiles from Turkey.
❖Khrushchev lost power in the USSR and was dismissed in 1964.
❖China criticised the USSR over its actions because the Soviets had made the communist world look weak. China’s relationship with the USSR deteriorated.
❖The USA’s NATO allies in Europe were horrified because they had not been consulted. France reacted by leaving NATO in 1966.
How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect the relationship between the USA and the USSR?
❖The relationship had deteriorated almost to the brink of nuclear war, so Kennedy wanted to focus more on the two nations’ ‘common interests’.
❖A hotline was set up in June 1963 between the USA and the USSR. This would help avoid crises by enabling direct and quick communication.
Why was the Cuban Missile Crisis important?
❖It was the most dangerous Cold War confrontation between the USA and the USSR and almost led to nuclear war.
❖It resulted in both countries working to improve their relationship and slow down the arms race.
What nuclear treaties were signed after The Cuban Missile Crisis?
❖1963 - the Limited Test Ban Treaty banned the testing of nuclear weapons in air or underwater.
❖1967 - the Outer Space Treaty banned testing or using nuclear weapons in space.
❖1968 - the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty stated the ultimate goal was world nuclear disarmament.
What was the Berlin Crisis?
The Berlin Crisis concerned the occupational status of the city and the numbers of East Germans fleeing to West Berlin, said to be some 2.7 million people. Khrushchev delivered an ultimatum, demanding foreign troops withdraw within a period of 6 months.
When did the Berlin Crisis happen?
The Berlin Crisis took place between 1957 and 1961.
Why did people move to West Berlin during the Berlin Crisis?
❖Wages were higher in West Berlin.
❖West Berliners had more freedom and more variety in the goods they could buy.
❖The Allies poured money into West Berlin, so the contrast between the affluence of the city’s two sides was more obvious.
