Cuban missile crisis, 1962

Question 1

What two countries emerged as superpowers in the 1960s

Answer 1

the US and the Soviet Union

Question 2

Who led a communist revolution in Cuba, 1959

Answer 2

Fidel Castro, causing thousands of Cubans to flee the United States

Question 3

The Bay of Pigs Invasion

Answer 3

the US became worried as Cuba received increased amounts of aid from the Soviet Union
In 1961, JFK approved of a plan to overthrow Castros government with the help of Cuban exiles

Question 4

Was the bay of pigs a success

Answer 4

The exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in Southern Cuba where they were easily defeated by Cuban forces, strengthening Fidel Castro and embarrassing the United States.

Question 5

what happened to the Americans who were found in the bay of pigs invasion n

Answer 5

A few Americans, two of whom were eventually executed, were arrested in April 1961. They were accused by the Cuban government of smuggling guns to anti-Communist rebels a few days before the Bay of Pigs invasion.

Question 6

The Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 6

The Soviet Union began to build missile bases in Cuba, worrying Americans that we were vulnerable to attack.
In response to this, JFK announced that American warships would stop any soviet ship carrying missliles.

Question 7

How did the cuban missile crisis end

Answer 7

Upon approaching Cuba, the Soviets turned back.

Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove Soviet missiles from Cuba, and the U.S. agreed not to invade Cuba.

Question 8

what did Nikita Khrushchev say about the cuban missile crisis

Answer 8

“I found myself in the difficult position of having to decide on a course of action which would answer the American threat but which would also avoid war. Any fool can start a war, and once he’s done so, even the wisest of men are helpless to stop it– especially if its a nuclear war.”

Question 9

the Organization of American States

Answer 9

the U.S. promoted economic progress in the Americas by investing in transportation and industry.
Cuba is the only nation in the americas that is not a member of the OAS

Question 10

Peace Corps

Answer 10

American volunteers work as teachers, engineers, and technical advisers in developing nations for two years.

Question 11

US intervention in revolutions

Answer 11

The US supported the harsh governments of El Salvador and Guatemala against revolutions because they were anti communist

Question 12

How many people were killed by death squads in the 35 year civil war fought between government forces and communist rebels in Guatemala

Answer 12

200,000

Question 13

What group overthrew the Nicaraguan dictator and started a communist government

Answer 13

the Sandinistas

Question 14

What did Ronald Reagan think about the Sandinistas

Answer 14

He Sandanistas and supported an anti-communist group called the Contras.

Question 15

War crimes committed by the contras

Answer 15

the contras however, committed horrible war crimes such as rape, murder and torture.
Thus congress passed a law banning military aid to the contras

Question 16

what did some governments do to oppose the law banning contras

Answer 16

some government officials illegally raised money for the Contras by selling weapons to Iran. This scandal became known as the Iran-Contra Affair

Question 17

The arms race

Answer 17

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik, the world’s first artificial satellite
Feeling that the U.S. was falling behind technologically to the Soviets, the U.S. created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which developed a space program to compete with the Soviets.

Question 18

When did the USSR surpass the USA in warhead amount

Answer 18

1978

the Soviet Union and the U.S. competed with each other in weapon development.

Question 19

what was the Cuban Missile Crisis

Answer 19

The Cuban Missile Crisis, of October, 1962, was a conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. This crisis could have possibly lead to the first nuclear war. The Soviet Union tailed the United States in the Arms Race and their missiles were not powerful enough to be launched against the United States.

Question 20

Why were missiles placed in Cuba

Answer 20

President John F. Kennedy claimed that the United States had fewer missiles than the Soviet Union, but Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev still felt wary. As Premier of Cuba, Fidel Castro, searched for a way to keep his nation safe from a U.S. attack. As a result, Castro approved Khrushchev’s idea to station missile sites in Cuba. The Soviet Union secretly built these sites during the summer of 1962.

Question 21

how did JFK learn of the missiles in Cuba

Answer 21

On October 15,1962, photographs of the Soviet’s missile sites were revealed to the United States. President Kennedy was briefed on the missile installations the next day.

Question 22

What did JFK do about the missile problem

Answer 22

He quickly called a meeting of his twelve most important advisors to deal with the crisis. they discussed possible ways to handle the situation. These included:
Doing nothing.
Negotiate.
Invade.
Quarantine of Cuba.
Bomb missile bases
Nuclear weapons.

Question 23

when were the missiles agreed to be removed

Answer 23

Khrushchev and Kennedy made negotiations amongst themselves and finally reached a desicion. On October 28, 1962, they agreed to remove all missiles and put the crisis to rest.

Question 24

what did JFK do as president

Answer 24

As President, it was up to Kennedy to decide whether or not to react to the serious nuclear threat from the Soviet Union. He agreed never to invade Cuba and remove all missiles stationed in Turkey in order to bring the Cuban Missile Crisis to an end.

Question 25

Why was Nikita Khrushchev removed from office

Answer 25

High Communist party officials were displeased with the agreement between the two. A couple years later, after further discontent, he was removed from office

Question 26

Fidel Castro

Answer 26

Fidel Castro became dictator of Cuba in 1959. When Castro came into office, Cuba’s relations with the United States weakened.

He did not have a say in the outcome of the cuban missile crisis

Question 27

the US government’s plans to remove Fidel Castro

Answer 27

These attempts included the Bay of Pigs Invasion, which failed, a military exercise in 1962, and a mock invasion of a Caribbean island. The United States also developed a plan to invade Cuba in order to make Castro nervous. The CIA too tried to destroy Castro’s government. As a result, Castro was assured the U.S. was serious about invading Cuba. from power

Question 28

what planes were used to capture photos of missile sites in Cuba

Answer 28

U-2 (Spy Plane)