The Cold War/Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 1

Cuba prior to crisis

Answer 1

• American satellite state, American companies controlling its economy and wealth

Question 2

How was Fidel Castro brought to power?

Answer 2

Revolution in 1959 overthrew previous dictator

Question 3

Why were Cuba/US fighting?

Answer 3

• US thought Castro would introduce communist government.
• When Castro asked for US economic loans, he was refused and their alliance broke.

Question 4

What happened after Cuba/US alliance broke?

Answer 4

• Castro nationalised factories and mines + seized US-owned property.
• US imposed a trade embargo.

Question 5

When and how did Cuba/USSR alliance begin?

Answer 5

1960: Cuba in economic crisis, signs trade agreement with USSR for Cuban sugar and Soviet oil and machinery.

Question 6

What important event led up to the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 6

The Bay of Pigs

Question 7

Bay of Pigs When and How (background info)?

Answer 7

1961: CIA trained anti-Castro exiles to overthrow him under leadership of JFK

Question 8

What happened during The Bay of Pigs + When?

Answer 8

17th April 1961: 1500 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, carrying US weapons.
- US expected Cuban people to fight against Castro, but underestimated Castro’s popularity (he improved overall living conditions)
- Many exiles executed, Kennedy failed (public embarrassment)

Question 9

What caused tensions to rise after the Bay of Pigs?

Answer 9

• 1959: New Jupiter Missiles from US placed in Turkey, capable of striking the whole of Russia.
• Khrushchev stationed medium range nuclear missiles in Cuba to pressure US and help Cuba who feared a second invasion.

Question 10

When did the Cuban Missile Crisis start and end?

Answer 10

16th October 1962 - 28th October 1962

Question 11

How did the crisis begin?

Answer 11

• U2 spy plane captured Russian nuclear missile sites placed on Cuba (Close to Miami which worried US)

Question 12

Middle of Crisis information

Answer 12

22nd October: Cuba put in quarantine
- JFK created naval blockade around Cuba to prevent more missiles reaching inland

Question 13

What did JFK say about the quarantine on Cuba?

Answer 13

“strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba.”

Question 14

What agreement was made prior to end of crisis?

Answer 14

• Withdraw missiles in Cuba if American promises to never invade Cuba (direct letter to JFK) or withdraw their missiles in Turkey (Moscow radio broadcast)

Question 15

What increased pressure for Kennedy to accept?

Answer 15

• U2 Spy plane shot down over Cuba
• Soviets drew closer to naval blockade

Question 16

How did crisis end?

Answer 16

• JFK publicly claimed he would not invade Cuba and privately withdrew missiles from Turkey.
• Soviet ships turned around.

Question 17

Cuban Missile Crisis results

Answer 17

• Cuba remained communist
• Closest world came to nuclear war
• Resulted in Nuclear Ban Test of 1963 (bombs tested under water or in atmosphere only)
• Both leaders claimed victory as missiles were removed
• Shift to proxy wars