The Cold War Flashcards
Why was the Bay of the Pig invasion so problematic?
The Bay of the Pigs was surrounded by a coral reef. This had shown up a spy plane but the Americans thought it was seaweed.
The Americans tried to parachute extra supplies to invasion force. These packages were dropped into swamps and over an army base that was loyal to Fidal Castro.
Castro knew in advance that the invasion would happen. Castro had assembled a well equipped army of 20000 men ready to meet the invaders.
How would putting nuclear missiles on Cuba strengthen Khrushchev in the USSR?
Khrushchev would do this by forcing Kennedy to allow the missiles or at least get Kennedy to give some concessions (compromise).
What is the missile gap?
Khrushchev stored his weapons in Cuba in order to restore the nuclear balance. The USA stored their weapons in the western in Europe and Turkey but they had more long range nuclear missiles in the USSR.
How would putting nuclear missiles in Cuba protect the communist state?
Cuba willingly became a communist country rather than an invasion from the Red Army in addition Cuba was very close to America.
List the 5 options Kennedy had after discovering that the USSR was building a nuclear missile base in Cuba?
Do Nothing Surgical Air Attack Invasion Diplomatic Pressure Blockade
What were the reasons for and against doing an invasion and blockade as part of Kennedy’s option?
Invasion- An invasion would not only get rid of the missiles and Castro, as the Americans are already trained.
But it would almost certainly an soviet response either to protect Cuba or within the soviet sphere e.g Berlin.
Blockade- It would show that the USA are serious and it wouldn’t be a direct act of war. The USA had a strong navy.
But it wouldn’t save the main problems and the missiles would also be in Cuba.
