Containment

Question 1

October crisis

Answer 1

. October 1962, American U2 spyplane captures images of soviet nuclear missile base on cuba
. Some missile sites were nearly finished and could be operational within days (1 week)
-> soviet IRBMs would be within range of many American cities (very alarming)
. JFK forced to react; very difficult reaction - 4 options

Question 2

JFK’s options: do nothing?

Answer 2

. Wait to die down or negotiation
. JFK doesn’t want to provoke -> didn’t want to be agressive
. Time wasted -> soviet development

Question 3

JFK’s options: Air strike

Answer 3

. Immediate
. Military advisors suggests this -> risky as it could lead to war (nuclear + agressive)

Question 4

JFKs options: invade

Answer 4

. Even more agressive
. This would remove Castro + regime
. USA was ready: sky + escalation

Question 5

JFK’s options: naval blockade?

Answer 5

. Block all soviet supplies to Cuba -> surrounding/ blocking
. JFK believed this was less agressive - good option
. TENSE moment: oct 1962 (whole world looking at Cubes)

Question 6

Success of naval blockade

Answer 6

. Krushchev backs down; orders soviet ships to halt and turn around
. Game of brinkmanship (game of chicken: who would backdown first) had been won by kennedy - tense foreign policy + agressive
. Nuclear war had been narrowly adverted - people holding breath

Question 7

Soviet & American Actions after Cuban missile crisis: Krushchev letters (first and second)

Answer 7

. First letter: long personal account for his actions
-> Suggests removal of missiles if US promises never to attack Cuba
. Second letter: changes demands: USA had to withdraw missiles from turkey (NATO ally)

Question 8

Soviet & American Actions after Cuban missile crisis: kennedy (first and second letter)

Answer 8

Response to first letter:
. replies to first -> ignores second - guarantees security of Cuba but no effort in second
. By secret agreements
Eventual response
. He eventually withdraws missiles from turkey -> secret agreement - to ease tension + engage diplomacy

Question 9

Cuban revolution background

Answer 9

. Batista, Cuban dictator, was corrupt & unpopular - opressive police state
. Popular with USA due to opposition to communism
. Cuba dominated by American economic interests, mafia and corruption (people become rich)
. USA appalled; decides that Castro must be removed from power (socialist country next door - threat)

Question 10

Causes of cuban missile crisis: american dislike of Castro

Answer 10

. Popular in Cuba by violence-socialist
. Fear of USA to socialism/communism
. Nationalise Cuban + American businesses in Cuba -> put under control of government

Question 11

Causes of cuban missile crisis: trade embargo & other US actions

Answer 11

. Country refusal to trade w/another
. 1960: USA bans trade in Cuba -> makes it struggle to export
. 1962: all cuban exports included in embargo -> economically isolated

Question 12

Causes of cuban missile crisis: alliance between Cuba & USSR

Answer 12

. New socialist + useful ally due to geography (close tu USA
. USSR has no potential ally in USA door step
. Usfeul trading partner - 100 million in economic aid
. Againts embargo

Question 13

Causes of cuban missile crisis: bay of pigs

Answer 13

. Kennedy can’t invade Cuba - unacceptable to allies + community but wants to remove castro
. Arm + train anti-socialist cubans in USA - send them back to Cuba to unstabilise the political situation by rebellions (US not directly involver) - proxy war
-> Kennedy supplies 1,400 soldiers + weapons
. When they landed in ‘bay of pigs’: 20,000 cuban soldiers with tanks waited for them: captures + killed
–> most cuban population didn’t support revolution

Question 14

Causes of cuban missile crisis: krushchev arms cuba

Answer 14

. Consequence of ‘bay of pigs’ ; scared Castro into military w/USSR
. Causes missile crisis 1962

Question 15

Consequences of Cuban missile crisis: success for kennedy and USA

Answer 15

. Stood up to soviet agression + forced Kruschev to back down -> succeed in USSR removal of missiles feom Cuba
. Reputation strengthened -> American heroe - after failures of Berlin wall

Question 16

Consequences of Cuban missile crisis: failure for kennedy & USA

Answer 16

. Forced never to attack Cuba -> forced to recognise socialist state in doorstep
. Secretly agree to remove missiles from turkey -> weakened US tactical position in cold war
–> NATO wasn’t told this: critics & angry

Question 17

Consequences of Cuban missile crisis: success for Krushchev & USSR

Answer 17

. Forced US to recognise cuba & never attack -> protected socialist state + never disturb or risk war VS USSR
. persuades US to dismantle missiles from turkey -> weakened US relations W/Nato

Question 18

Consequences of Cuban missile crisis: