US Foreign policy 1961-75

Question 1

Cuba background

Answer 1

Cuba spent decades under US backed Batista dictatorship. American companies controlled Cuban economy + US mafia existed freely => Fidel Castro Revolution w communist gov.

Question 2

Cuba - Castro takes over

Answer 2

Castro asked for US to fix economy wrecked by US but US refused. Castro reclaimed US owned property -> US introduced trade embargo.

Question 3

Cuba - Bay of Pigs

Answer 3

April 17th 1961 1,500 CIA trained anti-Castro exiles landed in the Bay of Pigs, expecting Cubans to join them to overthrow Castro. Castro’s literacy, medical care, housing+ land reform programmes made everyone pro-Castro. Exiles defeated within 72 hrs

Question 4

Cuba - Soviet missiles

Answer 4

Cuba feared 2nd US invasion - asked Khrushchev for defence. Khrushchev agreed to show up US. USSR surrounded by US missile bases. US missiles could hit USSR but USSR missiles couldn’t reach US. 2 birds, 1 stone - Cuban missiles

Question 5

What type of missiles did the US have + 1 example of where they were stationed

Answer 5

Jupiter missiles
Turkey

Question 6

Cuban missile crisis - America finds out

Answer 6

Aug 1962 American U2 plane spots Cuban missile sites. US missile warning systems only detected missiles if coming from Arctic circle - No warning.

Question 7

Cuban missile crisis - the crisis - Kennedy announcement

Answer 7

22 Oct Kennedy announces trade quarantine+ stop+search or else🔫. The world seemed on the edge of nuclear warfare

Question 8

The Cuban missile crisis - USSR announcements for terms of agreement

Answer 8

26th Khrushchev said they’d remove the missiles if US promised no Cuban invasion + Moscow radio added that US must remove Turkish missiles

Question 9

Cuban missile crisis - the de escalation

Answer 9

Robert Kennedy told JFK to disregard Moscow radio + agree to Khrushchev’s terms. Turkish missiles needed replacement anyway so JFK privately undertook to remove them. Khrushchev agreed + Soviet ships w final missile pieces turned around

Question 10

Cuban missile crisis results

Answer 10

Cuba stayed communist
White House + Kremlin hotline
Nuclear test ban treaty 1963
Switched to proxy war

Question 11

What did JFK do that made the Cuban missile crisis a success

Answer 11

He let Cuba stay communist + focused on the missiles
Pressurised without escalation to conflict