Cuba

Question 1

Historical background for Cuba-USA relations

Answer 1

• America was determined to maintain stability there to protect its own national interests (in their own ‘backyard’)
• Cuban constitution gave the US rights of intervention and required Cuba to provide land for naval bases (EG the US base at Guantanamo Bay)
• US had huge influence in the affairs of Cuba

Question 2

Outline the Cuban Revolution

Answer 2

1956-59
- Castro and his brother returned to Cuba with 79 supporters
1 Jan 1959 - Batista (prior leader of Cuba) regime collapsed and Castro became the leader of Cuba

Question 3

How did Castro attempt to reduce Cuba-US relations?

Answer 3

• Wanted to reduce the economic and political influence of post-revolutionary Cuba
• Introduced a programme of agrarian reform, which led to lots of American owned property being seized by the state

Question 4

What happened in Feb 1960 which heightened US fears regarding Cuba and Soviet relations?

Answer 4

Soviet First Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan visited Cuba in Feb 1960 and arranged $100 million dollars in credits with Castro
- Tied Cuba into an economic and political relationship with the Soviet Union

Question 5

What happened between US and Cuba in October 1960 which worsened relations?

Answer 5

Eisenhower imposed a trade embargo on Cuba
- When the first shipment of crude oil from USSR arrived, USA would not refine it so Castro nationalised them
- America immediately imposed economic sanctions on Cuba and reduced their imports of Cuban sugar by 95%

Question 6

What did Khrushchev threaten the US with in July 1960?

Answer 6

Khrushchev threatened the US with a missile attack if it invaded Cuba and suggested that Washington declare the end of the Monroe Doctrine

Question 7

What was the Monroe Doctrine?

Answer 7

Doctrine that the European powers should not intervene on the American continent

Question 8

When was the Bay of Pigs incident?

Answer 8

April 1961

Question 9

What was the Bay of Pigs incident with details?

Answer 9

Plan devised by Eisenhower to remove Castro
- Enable 1500 anti-castro exiles to and on Cuba to perform a coup against him

Question 10

What was the outcome/impact of the Bay of Pigs incident?

Answer 10

• The outcome was a failure for the US
• Confirmed USSR and Castro’s fears about intentions of the US for Cuba
• Ensures Castro’s power was consolidated

Question 11

When was Operation Mongoose?

Answer 11

30 November 1961

Question 12

What was Operation Mongoose?

Answer 12

Aimed to overthrow Castro and his regime and facilitate an anti-Castro revolt from within
- Headed by General Edward Lansdale
- It was to facilitate an anti-Castro revolt from within through the use of covert operations

Question 13

What was OPLAN - 312? (USA)

Answer 13

Air strike plan

Question 14

What was OPLAN - 314? (USA)

Answer 14

Land based invasion plan

Question 15

What did the USA set out in March 1962?

Answer 15

Operation Quick Kick
- Large-scale military operation that included 4,000 men, 79 ships and 300 aircraft. They practised offshore landings

Question 16

When did Khrushchev supply nuclear missiles to Cuba and what was it called?

Answer 16

March 1962 and Operation Anadyr

Question 17

How did the Soviets offer Castro military support?

Answer 17

• Installed nuclear weapons into the mountains of Cuba
• Provided fighter planes, bombers and 14,000 ground troops
• Nuclear weapons provided could reach distances of 1100km to 2800 km

Question 18

Why Khrushchev decided to deploy missiles in Cuba?

Answer 18

• Geostrategically, Cuba was an opportunity that Kruschev knew would allow him to begin to establish parity with the USA’s long term missile capability
• Reducing the missile gap would also have been a supplement to Khrushchev’s wider aims for military planning
• May have hoped to develop a linkage strategy between Cuba and Berlin as he had failed to remove Western presence
• Allowed him to also be able to prepare against the potential threat of the USA before they instigated attack on Cuba

Question 19

Impact of Kruschev placing missiles in Cuba?

Answer 19

• Creates further tensions and apprehension from the USA as it suggests an attack was imminent
• Commitment to containment viewed as a failure

Question 20

When and how did the USA realise there was missiles on Cuba?

Answer 20

14th October 1962
- U2 spy plane brought evidence
- Kennedy’s National Security Adviser also informed him of the weapons presence

Question 21

What was ExComm?

Answer 21

The Executive Committee of the National Security Council - a body of US government officials that convened to advise Kennedy during the crisis

Question 22

Why was the blockade called a quarantine?

Answer 22

• The blockade was regarded as an act of war, so the US referred to it as a quarantine. It would give Kennedy time for a diplomatic solution
• It also forced the USSR to decide whether it would recognise the quarantine or not

Question 23

When does the blockade begin?

Answer 23

24 October 1962

Question 24

How did the USSR respond on the first day of the blockade?

Answer 24

Ships that arrived to Cuba either stopped or turned around

Question 25

When was Khrushchev first letter?

Answer 25

26th October 1962

Question 26

Details and proposals of Kruschev’s first letter?

Answer 26

USSR would remove missiles from Cuba if the USA made a non-invasion pledge

Question 27

What happened with Castro and the U2 incident between the two letter

Answer 27

Ordered Cuban anti-aircraft forces to start firing on low- level reconnaissance planes as he thought an american attack was imminent
- U-2 spy plane had been shot down over Cuba and the piolet, Rudolf Anderson, had been killed

Question 28

When was Kruschev’s second letter?

Answer 28

27th October 1962

Question 29

What was in Krushev’s second letter?

Answer 29

Kruschev had changed his mind and asked for the removal of US missiles in Turkey
- Suggests both missile sites are removed, US not to invade Cuba & USSR not to invade Turkey

Question 30

What was Kennedy’s response to Kruschev’s 2nd letter?

Answer 30

Recognised the fairness of the trade off HOWEVER could not allow the USA’s NATO allies to view it as a concession to Soviet pressure so it was kept a secret

Question 31

When were both sets of missiles removed?

Answer 31

28th October 1962

Question 32

What was Castro’s response to the removal of missiles?

Answer 32

Castro was incensed at what he saw as a humiliating betrayal by Khrushchev, and refused to allow inspections of the missile sites once they had been dismantled
- Decided Cuba would have its own independent revolutionary strategy.

Question 33

Impact of crisis on Kennedy

Answer 33

SHORT TERM
- Increased his prestige enormously
- Removal of missiles from Turkey was kept a secret until his death

Question 34

Impact of crisis on Kruschev

Answer 34

• Received critic from Mao and Castro as seemed to have surrendered to USA
• Weakened his position within USSR and as leader

Question 35

Impact of crisis on Truman Doctrine

Answer 35

Undermined and failed the doctrine
- Raised the issue of its validity

Question 36

Impact of crisis on USSR

Answer 36

• Still determined to achieve parity in nuclear weapons with the USA and began an ambitious programme for the construction of ICBMs
• Persuaded the USSR to build a large navy, which in the future would enable it to project its power globally

Question 37

How did crisis lead to a reduction in tensions?

Answer 37

• Did not end arms race but came to a conclusion that nuclear war would lead to ‘mutually assured destruction’
• Both sides prioritised controlling weapons and testing

Question 38

What was the US-Soviet hotline?

Answer 38

Introduced 1963 so both leaders could directly contact each other in times of crisis etc

Question 39

What was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty?

Answer 39

• Implicit sanctioning of the testing underground encouraged weapon proliferation among the major nuclear powers
• Banned nuclear weapons testing everywhere EXCEPT underground
• After three months the members who signed could restart testing if they thought national interests were at stake

Question 40

When was the Moscow Test Ban Treaty and who didn’t sign?

Answer 40

August 1963
- China and France