Unit 1 - Section 5 - Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 1

How did the arms race develop in the 50s up to 1961?

Answer 1

America was the clear winner of the arms race in the 1940s and 50s. America took an early lead by dropping the first atomic bombs on Japan in 1945. By 1949, the USSR also had the atomic bomb but then America developed the hydrogen bomb, which was far more powerful. The USSR did develop a bomb as powerful by 1953 but in terms of nuclear stockpiles of weapons, America was far ahead. Nevertheless, the most powerful nuclear bomb ever tested was Russian: the ‘Tsar Bomba’ was eight metres long and weighed 27 tonnes. It was 100 times more powerful than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Question 2

How many nuclear weapons did the two sides have by 1960?

Answer 2

USA:
ICBMs - 450
Mid-range ballistic missiles - 250
Nuclear submarines - 32
Long-range bombers - 2,260

USSR:
ICBMs - 76
Mid-range ballistic missiles - 700
Nuclear submarines - 12
Long-range bombers - 1,600

Question 3

What strategic advantages did America have over the USSR in the arms race?

Answer 3

The USA had missiles much closer to the USSR than its missiles were to America; in 1958, The USA arranged to have missiles at their UK bases. In 1961, American bases in Italy and Turkey also received nuclear missiles. These could easily be fixed on Soviet targets such as Moscow. The USSR could fire missiles at the USA, but they had to travel much further, which meant they could not be targeted anywhere near as accurately.

Furthermore, America had the superior B52 bombers, capable of dropping nuclear weapons on the USSR.

Question 4

What was Sputnik 1?

Answer 4

in 1957, The Russians launched the world’s first man-made satellite - Sputnik 1. By 1960, the USSR had even landed a robotic spacecraft on the moon. The sophistication of this technology alarmed the USA.

Question 5

Why was Cuba geographically important?

Answer 5

Cuba is only 90 miles off the coast of America and therefore was seen by America as within its ‘sphere of influence’.

Question 6

What was the relationship like between America and Cuba before the Cuban revolution?

Answer 6

Friendly. Much of the land in Cuba was owned by American businesses:

90% of the phone and electric supply
50% of the railways
40% of all sugar production
100% of oil refineries

Question 7

What happened in 1959 in Cuba?

Answer 7

Revolution. The pro-American government led by Fulgencio Batista was overthrown by communist Fidel Castro. Castro wanted more independence from the USA so he took over all American property and businesses in Cuba.

Question 8

What were the short-term effects of the Cuban revolution?

Answer 8

President Eisenhower refused to meet Castro because he refused to accept Castro’s government as the rightful government of Cuba.

Castro wanted more independence from the USA so in 1960 he took over all American property and businesses in Cuba.

In return, America banned the import of Cuban sugar. This threatened to bankrupt the Cuban economy.

In February 1960, Castro made a deal to sell the USSR sugar and buy its oil.

The USSR started to give economic aid to Cuba to help it industrialise.

Question 9

What was the Bay of Pigs incident?

Answer 9

This was a plan by the CIA to launch an invasion of Cuba to dislodge Castro’s government and put Batista back in charge.

Question 10

What was the plan for the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961?

Answer 10

The CIA promised Kennedy that the invasion would look like a Cuban revolt, not an American invasion - they had been training Cuban exiles for over a year and they planned to disguise American planes to look lie Cuban ones for bombing.

Question 11

Why did the CIA think the Bay of Pigs invasion would work?

Answer 11

They thought that Castro’s hold on the country was weak and that most Cubans would join in against Castro once the invasion began.

Question 12

Why was the Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961 such a disaster?

Answer 12

It was supposed to be a secret, but Castro knew about it;
Most Cubans did not want Batista back;
On the 15th April, 1961, the first airstrike by disguised planes missed most of its targets. Also, the planes were photographed and US involvement was made public. JFK cancelled a planned second airstrike;
On the 17th April, the Cuban-exile army of 1,400 invaded at the Bay of Pigs. It faced heavy air attacks and 20,000 Cuban troops led by Castro himself.

The Cuban exiles surrendered.

Question 13

Why was the Bay of Pigs important?

Answer 13

The Bay of Pigs ended any chance that the USA and Cuba might negotiate a friendly relationship. The USA began making more plans to get rid of Castro and the USSR began to negotiate with Castro to provide military ‘protection’ that would, for the first time, put Soviet nuclear missiles close to the USA. This reduced America’s strategic advantage in the arms race and made the USA vulnerable to attack.

Question 14

Why did Khrushchev want to place nuclear missiles in Cuba?

Answer 14

Khrushchev claimed that placing the missiles on Cuban soil would deter the Americans from trying another invasion like the Bay of Pigs.

It also placed the missiles within striking distance of America, balancing the US presence in Turkey. This meant that Khrushchev could attack America without spending large amounts of money developing inter-continental ballistics missiles (ICBMs).

Question 15

Who were the leaders during the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962?

Answer 15

Khrushchev and Kennedy.

Question 16

Why did the Cuban Missile Crisis happen?

Answer 16

On the 25th September 1962, Khrushchev sent 114 Soviet ships to Cuba carrying a secret cargo of nuclear warheads and long-range missiles to construct nuclear bases on Cuba.

For a long time, this remained a secret, but in October, American U2 spy planes spotted the bases.

Question 17

What were the ‘Thirteen Days’ of 1962?

Answer 17

The ‘Thirteen Days’ of 1962 was the period at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis during which there seemed to be the greatest threat of nuclear war.

Question 18

16th October.

Answer 18

JFK is told about the missiles in Cuba.

Question 19

22nd October.

Answer 19

JFK decides to impose a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent more missiles being delivered.

Question 20

23rd October.

Answer 20

Khrushchev sends a letter to JFK saying that Soviet ships will break through the blockade.

Question 21

24th October.

Answer 21

Soviet ships approach the blockade. At 10.32 am, the closest ships suddenly stop and turn around. Khrushchev issues a statement that the USSR is prepared to launch nuclear weapons if America goes to war.

Question 22

25th October.

Answer 22

American and Soviet forces are on the highest level of alert - they are told to prepare for war. Kennedy writes to Khrushchev asking him to remove missiles from Cuba.

Question 23

26th October.

Answer 23

Khrushchev replies, saying he will withdraw missiles in return for a promise that the USA will not invade Cuba.

Question 24

27th October.

Answer 24

Khrushchev hears that the USA is planning to invade Cuba within 24 hours. He proposes a deal: The USSR will take all missiles from Cuba if America will agree never to invade Cuba AND withdraw its nuclear missiles from Turkey.

An American spy plane is shot down over Cuba.

JFK accepts the deal as long as the withdrawal of American missiles in Turkey is kept secret.

Question 25

28th October.

Answer 25

Khrushchev accepts the secret deal.

Question 26

What were the short-term consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 26

A reduction in Khrushchev’s authority - because the removal of American missiles from Turkey remained a secret - Khrushchev looked as if he had backed down and betrayed Cuba;
In June 1963, a ‘hot line’ was set up to improve communications between Washington and Moscow;
In August 1963, the Limited Test Ban Treaty was signed

Question 27

What was the Test Ban Treaty?

Answer 27

In August 1963, the USA and USSR agreed to ban the testing of all nuclear weapons in space, in the sea and above ground. Underground nuclear tests were still permitted.

Question 28

Why was the Test Ban Treaty important?

Answer 28

The Test Ban Treaty was important because it was the first step taken to control the use of nuclear weapons. Once there was agreement on this, it paved the way to discuss limiting nuclear weapon production and reducing stockpiles. It could be seen as the beginning of the period known as ‘détente’.

Question 29

What were the long-term consequences of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis?

Answer 29

The leaders of the Soviet Union were determined never again to be pushed around by America. Therefore the USSR made every effort to catch up with America in the arms race and by 1965, they were equals.

This equality created greater stability in the relationship between America and the USSR because both Russian and American leaders realised that any nuclear war was bound to destroy both sides. This idea, know as MAD, gave both sides an excellent reason for avoiding war.

Another long-term effect was that France left NATO. The French president was appalled at the idea of being obliged to fight alongside America in a nuclear war, so France left NATO and began to develop its own nuclear missiles.

Question 30

What was MAD?

Answer 30

Mutually Assured Destruction. The idea that any nuclear war was bound to destroy both sides.