Confrontation between the superpowers Flashcards
(34 cards)
When was the Batista regime overthrown by Castro?
January 1959
When did the Soviets offer economic and military aid to Cuba?
February 1960
When does Castro promise to spread revolution across Central and South America?
July 1960
When was the bay of Pigs invasion by anti-Castro rebels?
April 1961
When did Kennedy authorise Operation Mongoose?
November 1961
When did Khrushchev decide to send nuclear missiles to Cuba?
May 1962
When did American U-2 spy planes discover Soviet missile sites on Cuba?
October 1962
When does the U-2 spy plane crisis unfold?
During a 13 day period, 16-28 October 1962
When does Khrushchev decide to withdraw Cuban missiles?
October 1962
When is the Moscow Test ban Treaty agreed?
August 1963
Why were the USA keen to keep Cuba?
-Caribbean regarded by the USA as it’s own ‘back yard’
-The Cuban constitution gave the USA rights of intervention and required Cuba to provide land for naval bases
When did US fears of Cuba becoming a communist state increase?
February 1960 Soviets visited Cuba and arranged $100 million dollars in credits with Castro. Tying Cuba into both an economic and political relationship with the USSR.
How did US-Cuban relations deteriorate?
1) US crude oil companies refused to refine shipments of oil from the USSR and so Castro nationalised them.
2) America implemented economic sanctions on Cuba and reduced their imports of Cuban sugar by 95 percent
3) Castro seized $1 billion worth of US assets on Cuba in October 1960.
How did the USA decide it was time to remove Castro and his regime from Cuba?
The Bay of Pigs invasion and Operation Mongoose 1961
What was the Plan for the Bay of Pigs invasion?
To enable about 1500 anti-Castro exiles to land on Cuba and carry out a military coup to remove him.
What were the impacts of the Bay of Pigs invasion?
-It was a disaster and a humiliation for Kennedy.
-Confirmed the Soviet Union’s and Castro’s fears about the USA’s intentions for Cuba
-Ensured that Castro’s power in Cuba was affirmed and consolidated- he had protected Cuba from American imperialism.
What was the aim of Operation Mongoose?
To overthrow Castro and his regime through the use of covert operations to destabilise the regime and facilitate an Anti-Castro revolt from within.
What are covert operations?
these involve gathering intelligence information, forms of economic sabotage and physiological intimidation through propaganda.
What were Kennedy’s air strike plans named?
OPLAN 312 and OPLAN 314
when did operation Quick Start begin?
March 1962
How did Khrushchev respond to US aggression?
Operation Anadyr- he decided to deploy soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba in 1962
What other military support for provided by the USSR in Cuba?
fighter planes, bombers and 14000 ground troops. As well as both short and medium range missiles.
Why did Khrushchev want nuclear weapons in Cuba?
1) Defensive measure for both the Soviet union and Cuba.
2) to reduce the nuclear missile gap
3) to establish parity with the USA’s long-range missile capacity
What was ExComm?
the Executive Committee of the National Security Council. The groups main role was to consider policy options and their consequences regarding the missile crisis. It included people such as Robert McNamara, General Robert Kennedy and General Maxwell Taylor.