The Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 1

By what year had Fidel Castro overthrown Batistas government?

Answer 1

1959

Question 2

Why did Castros revolution worry the USA?

Answer 2

They had a long economic history with Cuba. They owned half of Cubas land and held most of the shares in all Cuban industries.

Question 3

What were Cuban attitudes like towards Americans?

Answer 3

They resented them. They felt they had the right to be an independent state.

Question 4

What did Castro do once he seized power in 1959? Why did this concern Eisenhower?

Answer 4

He nationalised US companies and increased taxes on goods imported from America.

Eisenhower was concerned that Castros drive towards public ownership showed that he was moving towards communism.

Question 5

What did Eisenhower threaten Castro with in 1959?

Answer 5

He threatened to stop importing sugar which was Cubas main source of wealth. The USA was sure that Castro would back down.

Question 6

How did Castro react to Eisenhower’s threat of cutting sugar imports?

Answer 6

He signed a trade deal with the USSR who promised to buy all sugar exports. All remaining American property in Cuba was confiscated.

Question 7

When did Kennedy stop recognising Castros government? i.e severed diplomatic relations

Answer 7

January 1961

Question 8

How did the USA push Cuba even closer to the USSR in 1961?

Answer 8

Kennedy authorised the invasion of Cuba by anti Castro rebels who landed in the Bay of Pigs but were easily defeated.

Question 9

When did Castro publicly announce that he was a communist?

Answer 9

December 1961

Question 10

What had Khrushchev decided by July 1962?

Answer 10

To put nuclear missiles in Cuba.

Question 11

How was having nuclear missiles in Cuba beneficial to Khrushchev?

Answer 11

They would allow him to launch a nuclear attack on all of central and eastern USA with very little warning.

Question 12

How and when did the Americans find out that nuclear missile bases were being built in Cuba?

Answer 12

U2 spy planes spotted it in October 1962.

Question 13

How did president Kennedy react to nuclear bases in Cuba?

Answer 13

He ordered a naval blockade of Cuba and Khrushchev to dismantle the bases. All Soviet ships were to be stopped and searched to prevent missiles reaching Cuba.

Question 14

Where did the USA place missiles in April 1962?

Answer 14

Turkey

Question 15

Summarise the deal made on October 27th 1962.

Answer 15

Khrushchev made a deal to dismantle the missiles bases in Cuba and ordered his ships to be turned around. In exchange, the USA lifted the blockade, promised to not invade Cuba- and secretly agreed to remove their missiles from Turkey.

Question 16

Aftermath of the Cuban missile crisis:

Answer 16

• In 1963, a telephone ‘hotline’ was established between Moscow and Washington
• All nuclear missiles were removed from Cuba, and then from Turkey by April 1963
• Kennedy had emerged from the crisis as a hero who had stood up against the threat of communism
• Khrushchev, however, was discredited- he’d forced the USA to remove their missiles from Turkey, but had agreed to keep the deal a secret. In the eyes of the public, he’d failed and he resigned in 1964.

Question 17

Limited Test Ban Treaty

Answer 17

• Signed in 1963 by both sides
• Stated that all future tests of nuclear weapons had to be carried out underground to avoid polluting the air with nuclear radiation

Question 18

The Outer Space Treaty

Answer 18

• Drawn up in 1967
• Forbade countries from placing weapons of mass destruction in outer space

Question 19

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Answer 19

• Came into force in 1970
• Both superpowers agreed not to supply nuclear weapons or related technology to countries that didn’t already have nuclear arms.