Cuban Missile Crisis

Question 0

Bay of Pigs

Answer 0

Kennedy supplies equipment and training for Cuban exiles
Attempted takeover - 1400 men
Castro thinks it is a full invasion
Sends 20000 Cuban troops
Castro captures or kills them all in days
Suggested to Khrushchev that Kennedy was weak

Question 1

Cuban Revolution

Answer 1

Cuba originally run by Batista, American backed - corrupt and not popular
Fidelity Castro stages coup in 1959 - 3 year guerrilla campaign
Castro takes over American businesses in Cuba
Thousands of Cuban exiles flee to USA

Question 2

Armament of Cuba by Khrushchev

Answer 2

May 1962 - Khrushchev announces that it’s supplying weapons
July 1962 - Cuba has best army in Latin America
September 1962 - missiles, jet fighters, tanks etc. arrive with Soviet Technicians
11 September - USSR assures America that it won’t turn Cuba into a nuclear missile site

Question 3

Reasons for putting missiles on Cuba

Answer 3

Missile Gap - America had far more missiles than USSR
Khrushchev wanted to strengthen his position in USSR
USSR anxious to defend Cuba - Communist base in Latin America - Excellent propaganda against America

Question 4

Kennedy’s options

Answer 4

Do nothing - Missiles would still be there
Surgical air strike - May not take out the targets - USSR could retaliate
Invasion - Take out Castro but would also incur response from Soviets
Diplomatic Pressures - Make the US look weak
Blockade - missiles were already on Cuba

Question 5

16 October

Answer 5

Kennedy informed of missile build-up

Ex Comm formed

Question 6

20 October

Answer 6

Kennedy decides to blockade Cuba

Question 7

22 October

Answer 7

Kennedy announces blockade and orders Soviet Union to withdraw missiles

Question 8

23 October

Answer 8

Kennedy receives a letter from Khrushchev

USSR will not observe the blockade

Question 9

24 October

Answer 9

Blockade begins

Soviet ships turn around very close to the blockade zone

Question 10

25 October

Answer 10

Progress on missile bases is proceeding rapidly

Question 11

26 October

Answer 11

Kennedy gets first letter from Khrushchev
Assured that missiles are defensive
Says that he will remove missiles if US drop blockade

Question 12

27 October

Answer 12

Khrushchev sends another letter - wants no missiles in Turkey
Kennedy responds to first letter only - denies getting second one

Question 13

28 October

Answer 13

Khrushchev removes missiles from Cuba