20. The Cuban Misslie Crisis Flashcards
(34 cards)
How far was the Cuban missile crisis from the USA?
90km
What happened after Kennedy promised to go tough in the SU in 1961?
He fell short in both the Vienna summit of 1961 and when the soviets built the Berlin Wall
What do some historians think about Khrushchevs thoughts of Kennedy?
Some think That Khrushchev thought Kennedy was weak and so he put missiles in Cuba to test Kennedy’s strength while others think Khrushchev was trying to help Cuba defend itself from possible us attack
Who ruled Cuba between 1933-1959?
Batista, he ran a corrupt and brutal government
How was their a divide amongst Cuban society under Batista’s rule?
American investment allowed many members of the Cuban government and US businessmen to become very wealthy while life for ordinary Cubans was tough
What did Cubans decide in the 1950s?
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
What happens to Cuba in 1956?
Castro returned to Cuba with 81 supporters and began a two year guerrilla war campaign against the government and his support grew
What happened to Batista after Castro’s revolution?
Batistas government collapsed on 1 January 1959 and Castro declared a new Cuba
What did Castro talk about?
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
What did Castro want from America?
To work with them on his visit there shortly after coming to power. Eisenhower refused to meet him
What did Castro do to Cuba after the USA refused to work with him?
He began to reorganise the way the country worked and took businesses (including American ones) and industries into state owenership
What led to castro being totally reliant on the SU?
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)
When was the bay of pigs plan initiated?
1 January 1961 after Kennedy came to power
What was the bay of pigs plan?
A large Group of Cuban exiles trained by the CIA would take control of Cuba and the US air force would give them support
What did the CIA assume the bay of pig plans would do?
Inspire others in Cuba to take up arms against Castro
Was the Bay of pigs plan put in place?
To help Castro’s exiled opponents retake Cuba
What actually happened in the bay of pigs invasion?
-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
Why was it decided the Bay of pigs plan was worth the risk?
Because $5 million on preparations was spent on it
What consequence did the Bay of pigs plan have on the US?
- 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
When did the Cuban exiles land on the bay of pigs?
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?
What happened to the exiles exposed on the bay of pigs?
200 were killed and 1197 was taken prisoner by Castro’s forces. no one in Cuba came to the aid
Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?
Because overacting could come to nuclear war as the USA still had more nukes that the su
Why would the do nothing option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a bad idea?
- would send the SU the wrong message after warning them to do nothing
- the issue would still exist
- it would make America look weak
Why would the surgical air attack option for Kennedy to deal with the crisis be a good idea?
-good as the USA has well trained US forces and plane technology meant it was safe to take out bases and remove the threat
