Cuba Flashcards
What happened in the Cuban Revolution?
- the USA supported corrupted, unpopular Batista as he was anti-communist
- in 1956 Fidel Castro led a campaign of guerrilla warfare and in 1959 overthrew him.
Castro did the following: - took over many US-owned businesses and land
- forged close links with USSR (Khrushchev)
- had Khrushchev send advisers, economic and military aid
What happened in the Bay of Pigs invasion?
- January 1961 Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba
- his successor Kennedy supplied weapons and missiles to 1500 Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro
- met by 20,000 Cuban troops with USSR arms, they were all captured or killed
What were the consequences of the bay of pigs?
- it was an embarrassment for Kennedy
- it strengthened Castro’s position in Cuba
- Khrushchev and others saw Kennedy as weak (June 1961, Vienna, seen as weak)
- Khrushchev sent more military equipment to Cuba to prevent follow up attacks
- in September 1962 the Soviets told Kennedy they had no intention of putting nuclear missiles on Cuba
Why did Khrushchev put missiles on Cuba?
- to close the missile gap between US - USSR
- the USA had missile bases in Western Europe and Turkey, in close range of Russia, so it restored missile balance
- the USSR had more cheaper medium-ranged missiles
- Khrushchev wanted to defend Cuba
- to strengthen his own political position
- to test Kennedy
14 October 1962
- U-2 plane took pictures of missile sights under construction
15 October 1962
- US intelligence analysed and confirmed that nuclear missiles had been place on Cuba
16 October 1962
- EX-COMM formed (group of advisers)
18 October 1962
- Soviet Foreign Minister, Gromyko and Kennedy meet, Gromyko denies offensive missiles, Kennedy does not inform him on his discovery
21 October 1962
- Kennedy decides on a blockade against many advisers wishes
22 October 1962
- Kennedy broadcasts live telling public about the missiles and their intention to quarantine (blockade) Cuba
23 October 1962
- The Organisation of America States unanimously support the blockade
24 October 1962
- The US blockade begins, all but 1 soviet ships turn around or slow down, American military go to DEFCON 2
26 October 1962
- Missile sights are near completion
- Khrushchev sent a private letter to Kennedy proposing to remove soviet missiles if Kennedy public announces that he won’t invade Cuba
27 October 1962
- Khrushchev sends a second letter, proposing a trade for US missiles in Turkey
- U-2 spy plane shot down (killing Major Rudolf Anderson), but Kennedy delays an attack
- Deal made, soviets are told secretly that the US will not invade Cuba and remove its missiles from Turkey within 6 months, if refused US would invade Cuba immediately
28 October 1962
- Khrushchev announces on Radio Moscow that he has agreed to remove missiles off Cuba
How could the US respond to the missiles on Cuba:
Do Nothing? (+-)
+ USA had larger nuclear force and didn’t want to start nuclear war
- it would be a sign of weakness
How could the US respond to the missiles on Cuba:
Surgical Air Strike? (+-)
+ destroys the missiles before they become operations
- it is not guaranteed that all missiles would be destroyed, so nuclear retaliation might happen
- might kill soviet troops, USSR retaliation
- a sign of aggression against a small country
How could the US respond to the missiles on Cuba: Invasion?
+ removes missiles and takes over Cuba.
- could cause a response, invasion of Berlin or Nuclear war.
How could the US respond to missiles on Cuba: Diplomatic Pressure? (+-)
+ involvement of other countries might force USSR to remove missiles
- it was considered weak and unlikely to affect Khrushchev
How could the US respond to missiles on Cuba: Blockade? (+-)
+ it is a strong action without direct force, would give the US time
- it did not remove missiles off Cuba
Why did Kennedy respond as he did? (In calling a blockade)
- Kennedy was under pressure from military to bomb and invade Cuba, which would have led to war
- Blockade was a means of solving/delaying crisis without immediate conflict
What were the consequences of the end of the crisis?
- regarded as the closest to a nuclear war, agreement that future disputes had to be avoided, so it improved US - Soviet relations
- the USA and USSR set up a telephone link (hotline) between Moscow and Washington DC
- in 1963 a test ban treaty was signed by the USSR, the USA and Britain
Who won - USA (winning)
- Kennedy immediately seen as a victor as he got the better end of the deal and made Khrushchev back down
- Kennedy stood up to his hard-line military advisers
- the missiles were going to be replaced soon anyway
Who won - USA (losing)
- Kennedy agreed in secret not to invade Cuba and to controversially remove NATO missiles off Turkey
- Castro remained in power and Cuba was still communist
- He made a lot of enemies with advisers etc.
Who won - USSR - (winning)
- Khrushchev had prevented an invasion and any future invasions of Cuba
- in public, he was seen as a peacemaker and claimed to act reasonably
- Khrushchev had the US take missiles of Turkey
Who won - USSR (losing)
- the USSR was shown to have lied to the UN and world about the nuclear missiles
- Khrushchev was seen to have back down and remove the missiles and many soviets were humiliated
- Khrushchev was unable to make public his agreement
- in 1964 Khrushchev was replaced as leader
Who won - Cuba - (winning)
- Castro remained in power and the USA agreed not to attempt further invasions
- Cuba remained heavily armed and became a focus for other communists in South America
- Cuba maintained his control on US industries
Who won - Cuba - (losing)
- Cuba remained poor and isolated and were dependent on the USSR for supplies
