Cuba and the Arms race Flashcards
What was the missile gap?
When the US overestimated the number of missiles the USSR had, as the USSR used propaganda to seem much stronger than they really were. Resultantly, the US built many missiles in an attempt to catch up with the Soviets when they actually had lots more missiles than the Soviets.
What policy did Eisenhower undertake towards missiles?
- ‘New look’ policy
- Always have more warheads than the USSR
What policy did Kennedy undertake towards missiles?
To close the “missile gap” to the USSR
How many missiles did the USSR and USA have combined by 1987?
50000
Enough the destroy the world several times over
What does MAD stand for?
Mutually Assured Destruction
Which means the balance of terror as neither can defeat each other without their own destruction.
What does NUTS stand for?
Nuclear Utilisation Target Selection
When ABM’s can destroy missiles so that countries can destroy each others missiles.
Why was Cuba a problem geographically?
Only 70 miles from Miami - Very close to US
America scared of spread of communism through the domino effect
Cuba communist under Castro
Closeness makes it easy to attack US from Cuba
Cuba was backed financially by the Soviets
Why did the USSR build a nuclear base on Cuba?
Response to US bases surrounding the USSR in Japan, Korea, Spain.
To threaten the US and to make them aware of their nuclear capabilities.
How did the US know about the Soviet’s nuclear base on Cuba?
An American U-2 spy plane detected missile bases being constructed in Cuba in August 1962.
What was the American’s immediate reaction to the Soviet missile bases on Cuba?
JFK contacted Khrushchev to ask what he was doing
Then JFK spoke to the USSR ambassador to the USA about what was happening
Takes offensive action to mobilise troops
Publicises the ‘aggressive’ actions of the USSR
What was JFK’s plan surrounding Cuba and the Soviet missile bases?
- 16th October 1962 JFK sets up EXCOMM which was an executive committee to advice him on Cuba
- Aggressive towards USSR
- 22nd October Kennedy publicly calls for Khrushchev to remove the missiles from Cuba
- 24th October Soviet Ships en route to Cuba turn around
- 26th October USSR tanker Bucharest doesn’t fire at US tankers
What options did JFK have to deal with the Cuban Missile Crisis?
- Allow USSR to keep bases on Cuba
- Make diplomatic protests to the USSR
- Discuss missiles directly with Castro
- Place a naval blockade around Cuba
- Bomb Cuba with non nuclear weapons
- Invade Cuba and seize bombs
- Lauch a nuclear attack on Cuba
What happened on the 24th October 1962?
Soviet ships en route to Cuba turn around apart from the tanker Bucharest
What happened on the 26th October 1962?
USSR tanker Bucharest doesn’t fire at US tankers and turns around
What did Khrushchev’s two letters state?
1st letter - 26th October - stated that USSR remove missiles from Cuba and US promise not to invade Cuba
2nd letter - 27th October - stated that US withdraw missiles from Turkey (aggressive tone)
