Cuban Missile Crisis

Cuban Missile Crisis

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➢During JFK administration Cold

War confrontation between U.S.
& Soviet Union reached
frightening levels

➢(1959) left-wing revolutionary,

Fidel Castro, overthrew Cuban
dictator Fulgencio Batista & set
up a Soviet-supported totalitarian
regime in Cuba

Batista

Castro

Multiple Choice

What left-wing revolutionary overthrew Cuban dictator Batista?

• Fidel Castro

• Che Guevara

• Hugo Chavez

• Augusto Pinochet

Multiple Choice

What type of government did Castro set up?

• a democratic republic

• a constitutional monarchy

• a socialist state

• a Soviet-supported totalitarian regime

➢a socialist regime w/ Communist contacts

so close to mainland considered a threat to
U.S. security

➢President Kennedy feared if he moved

openly against Castro, the Soviets might
retaliate by moving against Berlin

➢Thus, stage set for 2 superpowers to

engage in nuclear war

Multiple Choice

Why was a socialist regime in Cuba considered a threat to U.S. security?

• it was close to the U.S.

• It had a strong social structure

• It had a history of political unrest

• It had a history of economic instability

➢For months, Kennedy considered

alternatives

➢finally approved plan CIA had proposed
➢exiled Cuban fighters would invade

Cuba at Bay of Pigs, to cause revolt
against Castro

Multiple Choice

Where were the exiled Cuban fighters supposed to invade Cuba?

• The Gulf of Mexico

• The Bay of Pigs

• The Caribbean Sea

• The Atlantic Ocean

➢(Sunday, April 16, 1961 ) invasion a disaster
➢By Wednesday, exiled fighters began

surrendering

➢114 died, rest captured by Castro’s troops.
➢After Bay of Pigs, Soviet Union sent

advisors to Cuba

➢(1962) Khrushchev began to place nuclear

missiles in Cuba, meant to counteract U.S.
nuclear weapons placed in Turkey

Multiple Choice

Was the Bay of Pigs successful for the U.S.?

• No

• Yes

Multiple Choice

What was a consequence of the Bay of Pigs?

• The Soviet Union decided to place nuclear missiles in Cuba

• The Soviet Union invaded Great Britain

• The Berlin Wall was built

• The Vietnam War started

➢U.S. unwilling to allow

nuclear weapons w/in
such close striking
distance of mainland

➢(Oct 1962) Kennedy

learned Soviet ships
carrying missiles
heading to Cuba

➢decided to blockade Cuba to prevent fleet

from reaching destination

➢This approach gave each side time to find

peaceful solution

➢Khrushchev agreed to turn back fleet &

remove Soviet missiles from Cuba if
Kennedy pledged not to invade Cuba

Multiple Choice

What did Kennedy do to prevent the nuclear missiles from reaching Cuba?

• Negotiated a trade agreement with Cuba

• Sent in troops to overthrow the Cuban government

• Deployed a naval fleet to the Caribbean

• set up a blockade in order give time to find a peaceful solution

Multiple Choice

What did Kennedy pledge?

• To end the Cold War

• Not to invade Cuba

• To reduce taxes

• To increase military spending

➢Cuban missile crisis seemed to bring world

close to nuclear war

➢(1992) high-ranking Soviet officer revealed

short-range rockets armed w/ nuclear
devices would have been used against U.S.
troops if U.S. had invaded Cuba

Multiple Choice

What would have happened if the U.S. had invaded Cuba?

• Short-range rockets armed with nuclear devices would have been used

• The Cuban economy would have been devastated

• The U.S. would have faced international condemnation

• The Cuban people would have revolted against the U.S.

➢realization that world might have been

destroyed in a few days had profound
influence on both sides

➢(1963) hotline communications system

between Moscow & Washington, D.C.,
installed

➢2 superpowers could now communicate

quickly in times of crisis

Multiple Choice

What was created so that the superpowers could communicate quickly in times of crisis?

• A secure messaging system between the United Nations and NATO

• A secure telephone network between the United States and China

• A hotline communications system between Moscow & Washington D.C.

• A secure satellite network between the United States and Germany