Chapter 5: The crisis over Cuba, 1962 Flashcards
What led to the Bay of Pigs, 4 main things
- Socialist Fidel Castro overthrows the unpopular, but American - supported Batista
- Castro wanted greater independence from America, so confiscated American property, and got rid of companies
- In response to this, America banned the import of Cuban sugar, almost bankrupting the country
- Khrushchev offered buy Cuban sugar, as well as sending weapons and diplomats
Narrative account of the bay of pigs
The CIA spent $45 million on training 1.5 thousand Cuban exiles, called La Brigada 2506.
On the 15th of April 1961, US planes bombed part of the Cuban airforce
16th: Planned bombing called off, which let the Cuban airforce regroup and fight the next day
17th: La Brigada 2506 landed at the “Bay of Pigs” and encountered 20,000 men from Castros army
19th: Fighting ended. About 100 La Brigada were killed, 1,100 captured
December 1962: The prisoners were released after $53 million worth of food and medicine given by ordinary people
Why do the Bay of Pigs fail?
People were expected to rise up against Castro, but no one did
Castro knew a invasion was coming as exiles were overheard discussing it
The Americans failed to destroy the Cuban airforce, who destroyed many ships
The Cuban army was stronger in every aspect
What were the impacts of the Bay of Pigs incident
The US lost support in Cuba and the rest of Latin America
Huge embarrassment for Kennedy and publicity fail
Castro was pushed closer to the Soviet Union
Khrushchev sent advisers and weapons to Cuba, and could claim they were defences
What led to the Cuban missile crisis
Khrushchev continued to send military supplies throughout 1962, and in September Soviet technicians began to install ballistic missiles, in range of almost all of America, to counter American bases in Germany, and Turkey.
A U-2 spy plane spotted them and estimated that they would be functional in November
A narrative account of the Cuban missile crisis (after bay of pigs)
- Khrushchev sent weapons and eventually ballistic missiles to Cuba. September 1962
- Kennedy and 12 advisors decide on a blockade to prevent the missiles being set up in Cuba
- On the 22nd of October, Kennedy announced on TV about the blockade, which stretched 3,300km
- 24th: 18 Soviet ships are blocked. Kennedy threatens an invasion of Cuba in the missiles are no removed
- 26th: Khrushchev sends a letter offering to remove the missiles in the blockade was removed and no invasion
- 27th: Khrushchev sends a tougher letter demanding the removal of the Turkey missile base in return for no missiles
- 27th: A U-2 spy plane is shot down, worsening tensions
- Kennedy accepts the first letter. But he also removes the US Turkish base secretly
Consequences/effects for Superpower relations after the Cuban missile crisis
- Tensions were at first increased, but then relaxed
- A telephone hotline was set up between the white house and the Kremlin to stop this happening again
- The limited Test Ban treaty was signed
Consequences/effects for the world after the Cuban missile crisis
- Khrushchev was criticised for being ‘weak’
- Turkeys US missile base was removed
- Relief that no major nuclear war broke out
Consequences/effects for Cuba after the Cuban missile crisis
- They were out of danger, with no more threat of invasion
* Their popular communist leader, Fidel Castro, was safe
Consequences/effects for the Soviet Union after the Cuban missile crisis
- Khrushchev was seen as weak, which generally led to him being removed in 1964
- There was relief at no war
- Turkeys missile base was removed
Consequences/effects for the USA after the Cuban missile crisis
- Kennedy was seen as a great statesman
- Huge relief at no war
- Good support and publicity for not being violent
- Lose of Turkey base, but no threat of missiles anymore
What was the Limited Test Ban Treaty
August 1963: The USA and the Soviet Union agreed to stop testing nuclear weapons in the atmosphere
What was the Outer Space Treaty
1968: The two superpowers, along with other nations such as Britain agreed to only use space for peaceful purposes and to not place nuclear weapons in orbit
What was the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
1968: This was designed to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and the countries there agreed to not develop nuclear weapons
