the challenge of Castro’s Cuba

Question 1

When was the non-aligned movement officially established ?

Answer 1

1961

Question 2

Which countries were part of the non-aligned movement ? (5)

Answer 2

1) India

2) Yugoslavia

3) United Arab Republic (short-lived union between Egypt and Syria)

4) Ghana

5) Indonesia

Question 3

Give 2 ways in which the Non-Aligned movement impacted the Cold War and divided the USSR’s and USA’s influence.

Answer 3

1) limited the superpowers influence in some countries as non-alignment allowed nations to receive military and economic aid from both sides while avoiding formal alliances

2) prevented full alignment of newly independent nations - This meant the US or USSR could not spread their ideologies

Question 4

When was Castro’s communist revolution ?

Answer 4

1959

Question 5

What was the planned invasion by Eisenhower that attempted to destabilise Castro and overthrow the government called ?

Answer 5

The Bay of Pigs (planned by Eisenhower administration, carried out by Kennedy administration)

Question 6

Who was the Bay of Pigs invasion carried out by ?

Answer 6

Cuban exiles who were supported by the US government

Question 7

When did the Bay of Pigs invasion begin ?

Answer 7

17th April 1961

Question 8

How was the Bay of Pigs invasion a failure ?

Answer 8

The invasion as over within 3 days - ended in ultimate humiliation for JFK

Question 9

Following the failure of the Bay of Pigs invasion, what military operation did Kennedy launch next in a bid to destabilise Castro and overthrow the government ?

Answer 9

Operation Mongoose

Question 10

When did Operation Mongoose begin ?

Answer 10

Nov 1961

Question 11

What did Operation Mongoose consist of ?

Answer 11

It was a coordinated plan of political, physcological, military, sabotage and intelligence operations, as well as proposed assassination attempts on key political leaders, including Castro.

Question 12

Give a famous example of an assassination attempt on Castro in 1963 as part of Operation Mongoose.

Answer 12

the CIA had a plan to give Castro a wetsuit that was laced with a fungus that would cause a severe skin infection and eventually death.

Question 13

When did the USSR test its largest nuclear bomb yet which remains the most powerful weapon ever detonated ?

Answer 13

30th october 1961

Question 14

What was the nuclear bomb that the USSR tested on the 30th October 1961 that remains the most powerful weapon ever detonated called ?

Answer 14

the Tsar Bomba

Question 15

The explosion from the Tsar Bomba tested on the 30th October 1961 completely destroyed (levelled) a town __ miles away and damaged buildings ___ miles away.

Answer 15

35, 100

Question 16

What is meant by the ‘Missile gap’ ?

Answer 16

The supposed gap between missiles made by the US and the USSR at the end of Eisenhower’s presidency.

Question 17

How was Kennedy’s claim of a ‘missile gap’ untrue ?

Answer 17

America had the superior number of nuclear weapons

Question 18

What treaty was signed in August 1963 in response to the testing of the Tsar Bomba on october 30th 1961 by the USSR ?

Answer 18

The Limited Test Ban treaty

Question 19

Who was the Limited Test Ban Treaty signed by in August 1963 ?

Answer 19

1) UK

2) USA

3) USSR

Question 20

What did the Limited Test Ban treaty signed by UK, USA and USSR in August 1963 outlaw ?

Answer 20

the testing of nuclear weapons in the atmosphere, underwater and in outer space due to concerns about its impact on the environment

Question 21

How did Kennedy’s lack of a response to the construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 make Khrushchev feel about the situation in Cuba ?

Answer 21

This made Khrushchev encouraged about Cuba and his ability to defend Cuba as a communist country.

Question 22

When did Soviet nuclear missiles and technicians arrive in Cuba ?

Answer 22

August 1962

Question 23

When did Kennedy hear rumours of missiles in Cuba and issue a public warning to the Soviets against the introduction of offensive weapons into Cuba ?

Answer 23

September 1962

Question 24

When did a U2 spy plane photograph Cuban missile sites and reports that missiles could hit washington and New York ?

Answer 24

October 14th 1962

Question 25

Why, from October 17th 1962, do American military units begin to move to bases in the Southeast of America ?

Answer 25

as intelligence photos from another U-2 flight show additional sites in Cuba and 16 to 32 missiles.

Question 26

When did American military units begin to move to bases in the Southeast of America during the Cuban Missile crisis ?

Answer 26

October 17th 1962

Question 27

Which high ranking official of the USSR was Kennedy visited by on October 18th 1962 during the CMC ?

Answer 27

Soviet Foreign minister - Andrei Gromyko

Question 28

What was discussed in the exchange between Kennedy and Soviet Foreign minister, Andrei Gromyko on October 18th 1962 during the CMC ?

Answer 28

1) Andrei Gromyko asserted that Soviet aid to Cuba is purely defensive and does not pose a threat to the US 2) Kennedy reads to Gromyko his public warning of September that the "gravest consequences" would follow if significant Soviet offensive weapons were introduced in Cuba

Question 29

What body did Kennedy establish on October 22nd 1962 that was instructed to meet daily during the CMC ?

Answer 29

the Executive committee of the National Security Council

Question 30

In October 1962, Kennedy placed a naval blockade, or a ring of ships around Cuba, which he called a 'quarantine', how did Kennedy inform the public about this move ?

Answer 30

on October 22nd, he told the US public of the CMC in a televised address

Question 31

Why did JFK introduce a 'quarantine' or naval blockade around Cuba in October 1962 ?

Answer 31

to prevent the Soviets brining in more supplies for Cuba/ Castro

Question 32

What was Khrushchev's response to the naval blockade placed around Cuba by Kennedy in October 1962 ?

Answer 32

stopped Soviet ships near the line

Question 33

On October 26th 1962, Khrushchev privately offered to remove missiles from Cuba if JKF did what ?

Answer 33

if JFK stopped the Blockade around Cuba and promised to not invade Cuba.

Question 34

What responses followed the shooting down of an American U2 plane by the Soviets on October 27th 1962 (not the U2 crisis) by Kennedy and Khrushchev ?

Answer 34

Khrushchev - publicly demanded removal of US missiles from Turkey Kennedy - refused to do this and accepted Khrushchev's offer from the 26th October (to stop the naval blockade and promise not to invade Cuba)

Question 35

After both sides were aware of the devastating impact of nuclear war, by October 28th 1962, what actions did Khrushchev and Kennedy both take that ultimately ended the CMC ?

Answer 35

Kennedy - publicly promised not to invade Cuba and privately agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey Khrushchev - dismantle of the missile sites

Question 36

Give two positive outcomes for Kennedy as a result of the CMC.

Answer 36

1) JFK came out of the crisis with a greatly improved reputation - stood up to Khrushchev and made him back down 2) stood up to the hardliners in his own government - some wanted the USA to invade - CMC highlighted risk of military invasions

Question 37

Give 2 negative outcomes for America/ Kennedy as a result of the CMC

Answer 37

1) JFK had to remove missiles from Turkey - awkward for him as the missiles were technically NATO's 2) Had to accept that Castro's Cuba would remain a communist state in America's back-yard

Question 38

Give 3 positive outcomes for the Cold war as a result of the CMC.

Answer 38

1) helped thaw relations between the USA and USSR - both leaders saw how brinkmanship nearly led to a nuclear war 2) A limited test Ban treaty was signed 3) threat of the USSR was respected by the USA despite USSR having fewer nuclear weapons

Question 39

why was the Limited Test Ban Treaty limited ? (2)

Answer 39

1) Both sides still made them 2) loopholes for how they could still be tested

Question 40

Give a specific example of how relations between the USA and the USSR were clearly thawed as a result of the events of the CMC.

Answer 40

a permanent, direct phone link was set up between the White House and the Kremlin

Question 41

Give 4 positive outcomes for Khrushchev/ USSR as a result of the CMC.

Answer 41

1) Khrushchev highlighted his role as a peacemaker 2) Cuba remained a communist state 3) got America to remove missiles from Turkey 4) crisis led to criticism for the USA amongst its allies, e.g. Britain

Question 42

Why was the success of Khrushchev to get Kennedy to remove missiles for Turkey only limited ?

Answer 42

couldn't be used for propaganda

Question 43

Give an example of a form of criticism that USA faced from Britain as a results of the events in the CMC .

Answer 43

British Newspapers ran stories criticising America for objecting to missiles in Cuba when they had missiles in Turkey.

Question 44

Give 3 negative outcomes for the USSR/ Khrushchev as a result of the CMC.

Answer 44

1) Khrushchev did have to backdown and remove missiles from Cuba 2) USSR's military was unhappy with Khrushchev because Cuban missiles were put on the decks of US ships so the Americans could publically count them (humiliating) 3) 1964 - Khrushchev was forced from power by his enemies in the USSR - many thought this was partly in response to the handling of the CMC