Operation Pedro Pan

During the Cold War, thousands of Cuban children were sent to the US in Operation Pedro Pan to escape political turmoil. Initiated by James Baker and Monsignor Brian Walsh, the operation secretly evacuated over 14,000 children with US support. Many children were placed with relatives, foster families, or in orphanages. The operation ended in 1962 due to the Cuban Missile Crisis, leaving many children unable to reunite with their families. The operation remained largely unknown outside southern Florida for years.

What major political change in Cuba led to the fears of losing parental rights?

• The rise of Fidel Castro

• The Cuban Missile Crisis

• The fall of the Berlin Wall

• The Bay of Pigs Invasion

Who were the key figures behind the plan to evacuate Cuban children to the United States?

• John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev

• James Baker and Monsignor Brian Walsh

• Fidel Castro and Che Guevara

• Ernesto Guevara and Raul Castro

What was the primary goal of Operation Pedro Pan?

• To provide military aid to Cuba

• To evacuate Cuban children to the United States

• To establish trade relations with Cuba

• To overthrow Fidel Castro

What event caused the end of Operation Pedro Pan?

• The Cuban Missile Crisis

• The fall of the Soviet Union

• The Bay of Pigs Invasion

• The signing of the Cuban Adjustment Act

What percentage of Cuban children were placed in the care of the US government after Operation Pedro Pan?

• 60%

• 50%

• 80%

• 30%