20. The Cuban Misslie Crisis Flashcards

1
Q

How far was the Cuban missile crisis from the USA?

A

90km

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2
Q

What happened after Kennedy promised to go tough in the SU in 1961?

A

He fell short in both the Vienna summit of 1961 and when the soviets built the Berlin Wall

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3
Q

Who ruled Cuba between 1933-1959?

A

Batista, he ran a corrupt and brutal government

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4
Q

How was their a divide amongst Cuban society under Batista’s rule?

A

American investment allowed many members of the Cuban government and US businessmen to become very wealthy while life for ordinary Cubans was tough

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5
Q

What did Cubans decide in the 1950s?

A

That they were fed up with batista’s regime and a new young lawyer (Fidel Castro) called for a revolution but he was arrested and put into exile

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6
Q

What happens to Cuba in 1956?

A

Castro returned to Cuba with 81 supporters and began a two year guerrilla war campaign against the government and his support grew

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7
Q

What happened to Batista after Castro’s revolution?

A

Batistas government collapsed on 1 January 1959 and Castro declared a new Cuba

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8
Q

What did Castro talk about?

A

A fight by ordinary Cubans for a fairer and freer society and did not talk about communism despite he and his supporters being left wing

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9
Q

What did Castro want from America?

A

To work with them on his visit there shortly after coming to power. Eisenhower refused to meet him

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10
Q

What did Castro do to Cuba after the USA refused to work with him?

A

He began to reorganise the way the country worked and took businesses (including American ones) and industries into state owenership

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11
Q

What led to castro being totally reliant on the SU?

A

As the USA rejected him and so hoped the SU would help him build Cuba’s economy and in response the USA placed and embargo on Cuba (totally banning trade)

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12
Q

When was the bay of pigs plan initiated?

A

1 January 1961 after Kennedy came to power

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13
Q

What was the bay of pigs plan?

A

A large Group of Cuban exiles trained by the CIA would take control of Cuba and the US air force would give them support

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14
Q

What did the CIA assume the bay of pig plans would do?

A

Inspire others in Cuba to take up arms against Castro

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15
Q

Was the Bay of pigs plan put in place?

A

To help Castro’s exiled opponents retake Cuba

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16
Q

What actually happened in the bay of pigs invasion?

A

-most Cubans actually supported Castro and didn’t join the invasion and some senior figures in the US felt their involvement was illegal under international law

17
Q

Why was it decided the Bay of pigs plan was worth the risk?

A

Because $5 million on preparations was spent on it

18
Q

What consequence did the Bay of pigs plan have on the US?

A
  • The USA had broken international law and been completely humiliated and Kennedy looked weak and incompetent in his first few months of being president.
  • Castro was pushed further into alliance with the SU as he knew the Americans still wouldn’t give up
19
Q

When did the Cuban exiles land on the bay of pigs?

A

17th April 1961. It was a disaster and at last minute Kennedy withdrew support of the US airforce and the exiles were left totally exposed?

20
Q

What happened to the exiles exposed on the bay of pigs?

A

200 were killed and 1197 was taken prisoner by Castro’s forces. no one in Cuba came to the aid

21
Q

Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

A

Because overacting could come to nuclear war as the USA still had more nukes that the su

22
Q

Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

A
  • would send the SU the wrong message after warning them to do nothing
  • the issue would still exist
  • it would make America look weak
23
Q

Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

A

-good as the USA has well trained US forces and plane technology meant it was safe to take out bases and remove the threat

24
Q

Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

A

There may not be a 100% success rate and may be seen as too aggressive and could kill some SUs causing the other countries to retaliate

25
Q

Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?

A

-As the strong us army could remove threat and overthrow Castro at the same time

26
Q

Why would the invasion option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?

A

The bay of pigs was already a fail, missiles could still be on Cuba and Cuban and SU troops would retaliate

27
Q

Why would diplomatic pressure be a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

A

It avoids conflicts and would show the USA was serious but not aggressive and it means organisations like the UN could help resolve issues before it got out of hand

28
Q

Why would diplomatic pressure not be a good idea for Kennedy to deal with the missile crisis?

A

As if it failed and the USA was forced to back down, then it would show weakness

29
Q

Why was a blockade a good way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

A

It would weaken Cuba as no more supplies from the SU could reach it

30
Q

Why would a blockade over Cuba be a bad way of Kennedy dealing with the missile crisis?

A

As it meant the Soviet Union could choose to retaliate and blockade elsewhere like it did to Berlin back in 1940

31
Q

How did the missile crisis positively impact Khrushchev and the SU missiles?

A

Publicly claimed he agreed to remove the missiles to encourage world peace

32
Q

What did Khrushchev believe his actions led him to imply as a positive outcome of the crisis?

A

Believed his actions showed that the su was willing to support smaller countries against the USA

33
Q

How did the missile crisis positively effect Cuba’s relationship with the su?

A

Cuba and the SU remained close allies for the remainders of the Cold War much to the USA’s frustration