The Cuban Missile Crisis Overview

Question 1

Which policy led the US to strongly need to prevent the spread of communism in Latin America

Answer 1

the US’s policy of containment

Question 2

What was the significance of the location of Cuba in the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 2

Cuba is located only 150 km off the coast of the US, making it a major concern for US security when it became a communist state allied with the USSR.

Question 3

Who was the leader of Cuba before Fidel Castro’s revolution

Answer 3

Fulgencio Batista, a dictator supported by the US, who allowed American interests to dominate Cuba.

Question 4

What event marked the beginning of the Cuban Revolution?

Answer 4

Fidel Castro’s initial failed attempt to overthrow Batista in 1953, followed by a successful revolution in 1959.

Question 5

What reforms did Fidel Castro implement after taking power in Cuba?

Answer 5

Castro introduced socialist reforms, including land redistribution to the poor and nationalization of key industries.

Question 6

How did the US respond to Castro’s socialist reforms in Cuba?

Answer 6

The US imposed a trade embargo, banned Cuban sugar imports, and broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1960

Question 7

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion, and what was its outcome?

Answer 7

In 1961, a CIA-backed invasion by Cuban exiles failed when the Cuban people did not rise up against Castro, leading to a humiliating defeat for the US.

Question 8

What led to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962?

Answer 8

The USSR began to build missile bases in Cuba, which were photographed by a US spy plane in October 1962, raising fears that US cities would be within range of Soviet missiles.

Question 9

What was President John F. Kennedy’s response to the discovery of Soviet missiles in Cuba?

Answer 9

Kennedy ordered a naval blockade (“quarantine”) around Cuba to prevent further missile shipments from reaching the island.

Question 10

What was the “brinkmanship” strategy used by both the US and the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 10

Both superpowers pushed the situation to the brink of war, using dangerous tactics to force the other side to back down.

Question 11

How did the Cuban Missile Crisis end?

Answer 11

The USSR agreed to remove its missiles from Cuba, and the US agreed not to invade Cuba and to remove missiles from Turkey. A “hot-line” was established between the White House and the Kremlin.

Question 12

What were the key outcomes of the Cuban Missile Crisis for the US and the USSR?

Answer 12

The US forced the USSR to remove its missiles from Cuba but had to accept Cuba as a communist state. The USSR removed missiles from Cuba in exchange for the US removing missiles from Turkey.

Question 13

What was the broader significance of the Cuban Missile Crisis in terms of US-Soviet relations?

Answer 13

It marked a moment of heightened tension but ultimately led to improved relations between the superpowers, including the establishment of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963.

Question 14

How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect Kennedy’s reputation in the US?

Answer 14

Kennedy was seen as a hero for handling the crisis with restraint and successfully avoiding nuclear war.

Question 15

What was Khrushchev’s position after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 15

Historians praised Khrushchev for his statesmanship in avoiding war, but he was criticized within the USSR for appearing weak and was removed from power in 1964.

Question 16

How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect Fidel Castro’s position in Cuba?

Answer 16

Castro’s position was strengthened because the crisis eliminated the immediate threat of a US invasion, and Cuba relied heavily on Soviet support.

Question 17

How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect Cuba’s relationship with the US?

Answer 17

The US continued its trade embargo and travel ban, and diplomatic relations were not restored until the Obama era

Question 18

What long-term impact did the collapse of the USSR have on Cuba?

Answer 18

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, Cuba suffered economically due to the loss of Soviet aid and trade.

Question 19

What important communication tool was established as a result of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 19

A “hot-line” was set up between the White House and the Kremlin to allow direct communication between the US and Soviet leaders in case of future crises.

Question 20

What was the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1963, and how was it related to the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 20

The treaty limited the testing of nuclear weapons, marking a step towards reducing nuclear tensions between the US and the USSR following the Cuban Missile Crisis.