Cuban Missile Crisis

Arms race and nuclear deterrence

throughout the 1960s there was a nuclear arms race

the spied on each other with the US using the U2

Both side had developed ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile)

Policy of MAD

What did the US do in Turkie

short range nuclear missiles

US relations with Cuba

• largest island just 160 km away from Florida

• US ally

• US owned most of business

• US had huge naval base

• US provided the Cuban ruler General Batista with eccon and millitary support

• Supported Batista because of his anti comuunism

General Batista

dictator that was unpopular

who was Fidel Castro

he won a 3 year campaign in 1959

he was charming, clever and ruthless

killed exiled opponents

propagandists’s’

won over support

What worsened US relations with Castro

thousands of Cuban exiles in the US pressured for action against Castro

Castro took over US owned business in Cuba and distributed them to population

How did US respond

Got the CIA to find ways to overthrow him

planed ways to disrupt the Cuban eccon

US companies refused to cooperate with Cuban companies that oils or other materials came from USSR

US media responded with criticism of Castro

How did Castro repsond

assured that Americans living in Cuba was safe

allowed the US to keep their base

By 1960 Cuba allied with USSR

Received $100 mil in eccon aid

Castro received weapons from USSR

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion

in Jan 1961 Kennedy broke off diplomatic relationship with Cuba

gave weapons and transport to 1400 anti Castro exiles to invade Cuba

In 17 April the landed in Bay of Big and failed

20,000 Cuban troops with tanks and modern weapons killed them

Failures of the invasion for US

lack of secrecy so US can’t deny involvement

poor links between US departments

failure to organise resistance inside Cuba

insufficient Spanish speaking staff

Effect of Bay of Pigs on USSR aid

weapons flooded into Cuba

May 1962 USSR announced publicly that they were supplying Cuba with arms

By July 1962, Cuba had best equipped army in Latin America

What did Cuba have by September 1962

thousands of missiles

patrol boats

tanks

radar vans

fighter jets and bombers

5000 Soviet technicians to help them maintain weapons

How did US discover nuclear sites

Sunday 14 Oct 1962 US spy plane took pictures they saw nuclear sites being built by USSR

some were already supplied with missiles

US spy planes also reported that 20 Soviet ships were on the way to Cuba with missiles

What happened on 20th of OCT

Kennedy decided on blockade

what happened on 16 Oct

Kennedy was informed of missile build up

what happened on 22 Oct

Kennedy announced the naval blockade to the public and called for USSR to remove them

23 Oct

Kennedy got a letter from Khrushchev saying Soviet ships would not observe blockade

24 Oct

Blockade began

first missile carrying ship accompanied by Soviet submarine approached 500 mile blockade zone

10.32 am 29 soviet ships closest to zone stopped or turned around

25th Oct

Despite soviet ship turn around

aerial photography revealed that work on missile base were proceeding rapidlly

26th Oct

Kennedy got long personal letter from Khrushchev.

Letter said that the missiles were defensive

Said if US did not invade and remove blockade, the destruction of missile site would be an entirely different question

27 Oct am

Krushchev sent another letter, revising his proposal, letter saying if US remove missile from Türkiye, USSSR would do the same in Cuba, suggesting a potential solution.

U2 plane was shot down and pilot was killed

Kennedy was recommended to launch reprisal attack

27 Oct pm

Kennedy ignore the first letter and accepted the terms from Moscow on 26th

decided to not retaliate immediately

28 Oct

Khrushchev reply to Kennedy saying that the Soviet gov gave order to dismantle weapons

Outcome of the crisis for US

• Kennedy had an improved reputation, who stood up to Khrushchev

• Kennedy resisted hardliners in his own Gov asking to invade

• Secretly removed weapons from Türkiye (NATO was unhappy because it should have been joint decision between NATO)

• Accept that there would be a communist state in US backyard

Why did USSR place nuclear missiles

to bargain with US

to test the US (how strong they were)

Trap the US, and draw them to nuclear war (did not try to hide missile)

Close the missile gap between US and USSR, less likely for US to launch a 1st strike on Cuba

Defend Cuba as it was the only communist state ‘Uncle Sam’s backyard’ and good propaganda

Strengthen his own position in USSR.

Outcome of Crisis on Krushchev and USSR

• show he is responsible peace maker

• kept Cuba safe as a useful base for communist

• did get missiles removed from Turkie, but this was kept secret so he could not use for propaganda

• USA was criticised by allies. Newspaper in UK said that it is unreasonable to have missiles in Turjey and object to missiles in Cuba

• Krusheve was backed down to remove missiles, some millitary men were unhappy

• they had to put missile on deck of ship for US to count them, which some felt humiliating

• USSR laged in arms race

• 1964 Khruschev forced from power, and many though issile Crisis contributed to this

Outcome of crisis on cold war

leaders were ready to take steps to reduce the risk of war

permanent hot line phone was set up direct from White House to Kremlin

1963 signed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (limited tests)

both countries attempted to avoid direct conflict and fought through their allies to avoid MAD

Outcome of crisis for Castro and Cuba

very upset with deal but had to accept it due to USSR support

Cuba stayed communist but highly armed

Cuba remained a important communist base in South America and was important for Angola Civil War in 1970s

Castro kept control of US companies and economic resources he nationalised during revolution

Problem with soviet missile

only had 6 that was capable of reaching US

the US had missile in Turkie and from the US that could reach USSR

What were some cities short range missiles could hit

New Orleans, Miami

What are some cities long range missile could hit

NY, Washington, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City

Option - Do nothing

US had greater nuclear power, so the US could still destroy USSR, so USSR was not likely to use them

But USSR have lied about missile and Kennedy warned them. So do nothing looked weak

Air attack

to destroy missile before they could be used

but if even one of sites not destroyed there would be retalliation

the attack will kill Soviet soilders, so USSR might also retaliate

Attack without warning seem immoral

Option - Invasion

It would get rid of Castro and his missiles and US troops prepared

but it would garantee similar Soviet response e.g taking Berlin

Option Diplomatic Pressure

It can avoid conflict

but if US forced to back down, it look weak

Option - Blockade

stop any military supplies to Cuba

Show that the US was serious and was not direct act of war. This meant the burden would be on Khrushchev on what do next.

would not stop the main problem that the missies were in Cuba and could be used. Also, Soviets could also blockade Berlin again

impact of bay of pig

US unwilling to directly get involved

Khruschev scornfull of JFK attempt, look weak

Castro position strengthened

Cuba and USSR suspicious of US policy