Paper 1 Theme 1 - Topic 2: Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
Monroe Doctrine
1823
Warned imperial European powers against interfering in the affairs of newly independent Latin American states which the US regards as their own sphere of influence. The Caribbean was eventually integrated into the Monroe Doctrine due to interests in the region.
US acquisition of Cuba
US military formed a provisional government in Europe after ceding Cuba from Spain. The Platt Amendment was drafted to outline the conditions for Cuba sovereignty - Cuba cannot allow foreign powers to use the land for military purposes and US possess the right to interfere with Cuban politics
Fulgencio Batista
Cuban President from 1940-1944 and dictator from 1952-1959. He was extremely corrupt. Most industries owned by USA and Cuban economy was heavily influenced by US.
Cuban revolution
Overthrew Batista on 8 January 1959
Sino-Soviet split
Khrushchev delivered the “secret speech” on April 1956 which denounced Stalin’s legacies. Mao criticized Khrushchev’s inclination towards maintaining peaceful coexistence with the West.
USSR’s clashes with Taiwan, Tibet and India further reinforced the belief that USSR was capitulating to the West.
Purchase of oil from USSR
February 1960
Castro established diplomatic relations with USSR by signing an agreement to buy oil from USSR. In exchange, USSR agreed to purchase 425,000 tons of sugar
Events that destroyed US-Cuba relations
Apr 1960 - American government pressured its companies not to process Soviet oil
Jun 1960 - Castro nationalised the oil refineries
Jul 1960 - USA reduced Cuban Sugar Quota from 3 million tonnes to only 700,000 tonnes.
Sep 1960 - Castro nationalised all minor American-owned businesses
Aug 1960 - Castro nationalised all major American businesses
Castro declared Cuba a socialist state
April 16, 1961
Castro sought to improve his country’s relations with USSR
Bay of Pigs invasion
April 17, 1961
The invasion proved to be a fiasco. On May 1, 1961, Castro announced an end to democratic elections in Cuba
Castro declared Marxist-Leninist
2 December, 1961
He declared himself Marxist-Leninist in a televised address.
2nd Berlin Crisis
13 August 1961
Between 1951 and 1961, 4 million citizens fled from East Germany to the West. Many of these were experts and professionals, creating a brain drain on East Germany.
November 1958 - Khrushchev issued an ultimatum to the West demanding an end to their occupation of West Berlin and proposed the creation of a jointly occupied ‘free city’. After Kennedy came into office, Khrushchev, Khrushchev reissued the ultimatum on June 1961. More than 1000 East Germans fled per day.
The Berlin wall was then erected on 13 August 1961 to demonstrate strength
Checkpoint Charlie incident (Berlirisis)
October 27-28, 1961
US and Soviet tanks stood off against each other on their respective sides of the border for 16 hours.
Khrushchev received stinging criticisms from Mao while Kennedy’s prestige was hurt due lack of actions from him.
Imbalance of military might
by 1962
US had far more superior a military force as compared to USSR: had 1million US soldiers stationed in more than 200 foreign bases, the ratio of USSR’s ICBM missiles to the US was 1:22.
Khrushchev also noticed the Jupiter missiles in Turkey.
Thus, putting missiles in Cuba was an attractive option to even out the military disparity.
Eisenhower -> Kennedy
November 1960
Kennedy was adamant in solving civil rights issues and fighting racial discrimination.
Kennedy’s diplomatic fiasco during the Bay of Pig’s incident and the 2nd Berlin Crisis incurred from the public huge amounts of criticism.
Thus, the onset of the CMC provided a platform for Kennedy to redeem his reputation.
Khrushchev
Rose to power in 1953 Pushed for "peaceful coexistence" and sought to "de-Stalinize" the Soviet Union. These policies undermined the legitimacy of the Soviet Union as a leader of communism and soured relations with its ally, PRC. Thus, the CMC could provide: 1.a communist ally 2.a boost in its credibility 3.counter against US military superiority 4.a trade partner 5.increase his personal prestige
Castro
vehemently espoused anti-US imperialism.
Bay of Pig’s incident convinced Castro that a large scale invasion was inevitable. Thus, agreeing to the installment of nuclear missiles in Cuba would fend off the US and acquire him a valuable ally who could protect Cuba from foreign aggression, especially the US.
Crisis - 14 October
A-U2 spy plane took pictures of missile sites currently under construction.
Crisis - 16 October
News broken to Kennedy, who called for a meeting and discusses possible diplomatic and military courses of actions
Crisis - 18 October
Soviet foreign minister Gromyko met with Kennedy and assured that the missiles were meant purely for the defence of Cuba
Crisis - 22 October
Kennedy decided on a naval blockade to buy time for negotiation with USSR. He announced the discovery of missiles in Cuba and announced in a televised address on employing the strategy of a naval quarantine. US military forces worldwide went on DEFCON3.
Crisis - 23 October
Khrushchev alerted forces among members of Warsaw Pact to be on standby. Robert Kennedy talked with Ambassador Dobrynin.
Crisis - 24 October
Soviet ships with questionable cargo were reversed.
US went on DEFCON2.
Crisis - 26 October
Intense exchange of letters between the two sides.
Khrushchev sent a letter proposing the removal of his missiles if Kennedy would publicly announce he would never invade Cuba.
Crisis - 27 October
Khrushchev proposed to trade Soviet missiles in Cuba for US missiles in Turkey. A strayed U-2 plane was nearly shot down. A Soviet submarine also nearly fired its torpedo.
Kennedy accepted to remove the missiles in Turkey in exchange for the removal of those in Cuba but the exchange had to be kept secret
