Cold War- Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
What was the Batista Regime
America provided cuban ruler General BAtista w economic and militart support, in 1959 after a 3 year guerilla campaign,Fidel Castro overthrew Batista
Why were Americans concerned about the Cuban revolution?
Cuba is 90-100 miles from America- close geographical proximity and they used to have control with Batista, Cuba was the rich American’s paradise and now is communist
the domino effect- other less developed countries next to Cuba would create comm dominated zone around America- 1st domino
Since early ___ America was highly influential in Cuba. Much of Cubas industry was owned by US businesses and its main export was ___ controlled by the US
The 1900s, sugar
In ___ Cuba was led under corrupt military dictatorship of ___ who supported US interests so was supported by ___
The 1950s, Batista, Washington
In ___ Castro and ____ gathered force of guerilla fighters and started revolutionary war against gov
By ____ revolution spread throughout Cuba leading to fall of ___ in early ____
By ___ Batista fled the country and Castro formed ____ gov- wanted Cuba to b free from US influence. US Businesses nationalised and land reform limited size of ___
Cuban economies began to work better for ____ instead of Americans and corrupt upper classes
1950, Guevara, 1958, Havana, 1959
1959, Liberal Nationalist, farms, poorer Cubans
__ were initially winning arms race in ___ technology. The ___ was the myth that the USSR had many more missiles than the USA
USSR, missile, missile gap
American ___ went along with the myth bc it helped them get funding from __ and from the fear of the public meant they would pay taxes to contribute to funding
military commanders, gov
By ___ Americans had own ___ , more ___ missiles and ___ missiles (fired from submarines) and medium range missiles in ___ and ____ that could reach the USSR in a few minutes, by ___ USA was winning the arms race
1959, ICBM, long range, Polaris, Turkey, Europe, 1960
USA REACTION TO REVOLUTION
1)Ignore
recognised Castro as a leader initially
2)Influence
They used propaganda to convince America that communism and castro were bad
3)Invasion (not direct)
THE BAY OF PIGS- Kennedy supplied arms for 1,400 anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow him.
April 1961 the exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs and met by 20000 Cuban troops armed w modern weapons-killed/captured all the exiles
4)Pressurise
Formed powerful pressure groups demanding action against Castro and investigated ways to disrupt the Cuban economy- sent spy planes over
5)Destabilise
Damaging economy, supporting exiles + CIA
OPERATION MONGOOSE
After the failure of BOP, Kennedy created operation mongoose- CIA and Cuban exiles covertly attack Cuban farmland and industry. They also targeted infrastructure and carried out political assassinations involving members of Castro’s gov
Even plans to execute Castro- lead Castro into the hands of Soviet leader Kruschev
The US carried out practice Cuban invasion in ____ w _____ US Marines - resulted in missiles being placed in Cuba
Spring 1962, 40,000
Kennedy elected and broke off diplomatic relations w Cuba leading Cuba to form alliance w USSR
Jan 1961
Why did Soviets want missiles in Cuba? (3)
1)To rebalance American missiles in Turkey close missile gap
2)To defend Cuba- only comm state in Western Hemisphere and was in ‘uncle sams backyard’- medium range missiles could reach most of US from Cuba
M.utuallly A.ssured D.estruction
3)Kruschev wanted to keep Cuba communist and strengthen his position in the USSR by forcing Kennedy to allow missiles
CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS 1962 TIMELINE
U2 spy plane took photos of military site in Cuba and was clear these were missile sites
14th October
Kennedy informed of missile build up- ex-comm (group of advisors) is formed
16th October
Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba
20th October
Kennedy announces blockade and calls on the Soviet Union to withdraw missiles
22nd October
Kennedy receives letter from Khrushchev saying soviet ships will not observe the blockade- he doesn’t admit the presence of missiles in Cuba
23rd October
Blockade begins - the first missile-carrying Soviet submarine approach ___ mile blockade zone. suddenly at ___am __ Soviet ships which are closest to zone stop and turn around
24th October, 500, 10:32, 20
Despite ships turning around, intense ariel photography shows work on missile bases in Cuba is proceeding rapidly
25th October
Kennedy receives long personal letter from Khrushchev claiming missiles are purely defensive- 1st time he admits there are missiles
26th October
Khrushchev sends the second letter saying condition for removing missiles in Cuba is the US withdrawing missiles from Turkey - an American U2 plane is shot down over Cuba and the pilot is killed - Kennedy advised to make immediate reprisal attack on Cuba
27th Oct am
Kennedy decides to delay attack and decides to ignore Khrushchev’s 2nd letter but accepts terms - if soviet union don’t withdraw an attack will follow- Khrushchev replies saying he will dismantle and return them to soviet union
27th Oct pm
Kennedy said which 2 dates were the darkest days of the crisis and why?
24th- didn’t know how USSR would react to the blockade
27th-U2 plane being shot could have been first sign of war
Missile crisis outcomes for Cuba(3)
- Castro upset by Khrushchev’s deal w US but needed support of USSR
- Cuba stayed comm and highly armed. Nuclear missiles removed but Cuba remained a base for comm. supporters in South America. Cuban forces intervened to help comm side in civil war in Angola 1970s
- Castro kept control of US businesses etc. This remained source of dispute between US and Cuba, but Castro never backed down
Missile crisis outcomes for Cold War(4)
- helped thaw cold war relations between USA and USSR, both leaders saw how nuclear war almost happened
- permanent ‘hotline’ phone link from the white house to Kremlin
- 1963 Nuclear Tests Ban Treaty- limited nuclear Weapons testing
- soviet arsenal proved to be enough threat to the US- superpowers avoided direct confrontation
Missile outcomes for the USA(2 good 2 bad)
- Kennedy greatly improved reputation for country and west
- successfully stoop up to hardliners in own gov & critics of containment and those who wanted us to invade Cuba
- had to remove missiles from Turkey (in secret) NATO allies unhappy but better than nuclear war
- had to accept Castro’s Cuba would remain a communist state in US’s backyard
Missile outcomes for USSR(3 good, 3 bad)
- Publicly Khrushchev show as peacemaker making the first move towards compromise
- keeping Cuba safe from US action was Maj. achievement for Soviets. Cuba was valuable ally and useful base for communist support in South America
- Crisis exposed us to criticism from allies - e.g newspaper articles felt us was unreasonable to have missiles in Turkey and object to Soviet missiles in Cuba
- Khrushchev was forced to back down and remove missiles and forced to put them on the decks of ships so the US could count them - HUMILIATION
- Khrushchev’s actions in Cuba made no impact on underlying problem of missile gap
- 1964 Khruschev forced from power by enemies within the USSR
