USA response to Cuban Revolution and The Cuban Missile Crisis Flashcards
What role did Cuba play in the lives of wealthy Americans in the 1950s ?
Cuba had been a playground for wealthy Americans as a holiday resort , supplying Cuba with economic support .
Who ruled Cuba before the revolution and which country supported him and why ?
Batista , who was supported by president Eisenhower as the Americans valued Cuba as a holiday resort and Ali’s because it was 144 kilometres away from America.
What happened in 1959 and what was the consequence ?
Fidel Castro overthrew Batista and became the leader of Cuba, which lead to American land being sold as he wanted all foreign influence removed from Cuba.
What did Eisenhower do after the change in Cuban power ? (3)
Eisenhower decided to stop trading with Cuba so they country would have no money.
The USA refused to buy Cubans main export - sugar cane , causing Castro to sell to the USSR.
What happened in American in spring 1961?
There was a new president - J.F Kennedy
What did president J.F Kennedy do ? (4)
Broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Made the CIA fund the anti-Castro Cuban exiles.
Damaged sugar plantations to harm the Cuban economy .
American media criticised castros regime as unpopular.
What was the Bay of Pigs invasion, when did it occur and why did the President agree to it ?
Cuban exiles landed on the Bay of Pigs in Cuba and were funded with arms , equipment and transport by President J.F Kennedy to overthrow Castro in the 1960s. The president agree to it as he didn’t have to send in any American solders .
Why did the Bay of Pigs fail?
America claimed they would give air support but Kennedy cancelled it to keep their involvement in the invasion quiet, unknown to the American people and other countries otherwise it would cause an international condemnation. The Cubans then destroyed the exiles re-armament ships leaving them with limited resources.
What happened on the 14th October 1962 ?
An American u2 plane saw missile bases being built in Cuba .
What happened on the 16th October ?
Kennedy was informed of the missile bases.
What did Kennedy decide to do on the 20th October 1962 ?
He decided to impose a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent soviet missiles reaching Cuba. The Americans searched any ships suspected of carrying arms or missiles .
What happened on the 21st October ?
Kennedy made a broadcast to the American people informing them of the potential threat and what he intended to do.
What happened on the 22rd of October 1962 ?
Kennedy asked Khrushchev for the Soviet Union to withdraw its missiles .
What happened on the 23rd of October 1962 ?
Khrushchev sent a letter to Kennedy insisting that soviet ships would force their way through the blockade and does not admit the presence of nuclear weapons on Cuba.
What happened to the Soviet ships on the 24th October 1962?
The blockade began and the first missile carrying ships accompanied by a Soviet Union submarine approached the 500 mile blockade zone. At 10:32am the 20 soviet ships either stopped at the blockade or tuned around.
