Cuba Ten Markers

Question 1

Name 5 ways in which the USSR benefited from the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 1

1. Khrushchev was able to appear as the peacemaker.
2. Cuba remained a Communist country, right on America’s doorstep.
3. The USSR was able to extract a promise from America that they would not attack Cuba.
4. Missiles in Turkey were removed via a secret deal.
5. The Crisis had made the USA look like hypocrites .

Question 2

What did Cuba gain from the crisis? 3 points

Answer 2

1. They remained a Communist country with Castro still in charge.
2. They were given a promise by the USA that they would not be attacked.
3. This was a huge propaganda coup; Cuba was a Communist state in America’s back yard.

Question 3

Name 5 ways in which Kennedy effectively handled the crisis

Answer 3

1. Out of all options, he chose a course of action which bought him and the USSR time to back down.
2. He stood up to the hardliners (Hawks) in his government and was not bullied into aggressive action.
3. Even when a US pilot was shot down he acted with caution and restraint; refusing a retaliatory strike.
4. He relied on a wide range of advisors unlike at the Bay of Pigs disaster.
5. In the end he got what he wanted (missiles out of Cuba) and had avoided nuclear war.

Question 4

Name 5 ways in which the USSR handled the crisis badly.

Answer 4

1. They put the missiles on Cuba in secret; something the Americans could not ignore.
2. The USSR publicly lied and denied the presence of offensive weapons in Cuba.
3. Khrushchev heightened tension by stating he would not observe the US quarantine around Cuba.
4. Despite the high risks they had taken in the end the USSR were forced to back down which was humiliating for them.
5. The missiles in Turkey were removed secretly and so the Russians could not even claim this as a victory.

Question 5

Name 3 key reasons why the USA could be blamed for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 5

1. They put threatening missiles on the Soviet’s doorstep first. These missiles in Turkey were bound to provoke a response.
2. The US policy of Containment had antagonised the Russians and shown them that the US were an enemy not to be trusted.
3. The Bay of Pigs had proved that the US were looking for ways to remove Communism in Cuba. It was this fear of attack that pushed Castro closer to the Russians.

Question 6

Name 3 key reasons why the USSR were to blame for the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Answer 6

1. They started the crisis by placing missiles in Cuba in the first place. The fact that they did it in secret made things worse.
2. The USSR were clearly trying to test Kennedy but were playing a dangerous game.
3. They lied throughout the crisis and proved themselves to be untrustworthy. They could have escalated the crisis when they initially refused to accept the blockade.

Question 7

Name 5 ways in which the USA benefited from the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 7

1. Kennedy’s reputation was vastly improved in the west. He had stood up to the Soviets.
2. Kennedy stood up to the ‘Hawks’ in his own government.
3. Kennedy showed he was a peacemaker and had avoided war.
4. The USA got what they wanted; the missiles in Cuba were removed.
5. Millions of US citizens were now safe.