5 crisis- Cuba

revolution history in Cuba

• 1933- corrupt often brutal government led by Batista

• Batista wealthy through deals with US businessmen, Cuba remains poor

• 1950s- challenges to regime, Castro calls for rev- exiled

• 1956- Castro returns, 2 year guerrilla war, support grows

• 1959- batista flees, castro in power

castro’s revolution, tensions with US

• cuban industries into state ownership

• castro originally keen to work with the Americans, but Eisenhower refused to meet him

• USA unwilling- turn to USSR for support

• 1961- US embargo on Cuba, increasing reliance on USSR

bay of pigs,1961- plan and invasion

• CIA draft plan to help Castros opponents (exiled) retake cuba

• exiles land at bay of pigs, march to capital of Havana and take it while gaining support

• prior- Kennedy withdraws support from US air force- worried about global reaction

• without air cover from US exiles left exposed, 200 killed, many captured

• no Cuban support

bay of pigs consequences- Cuba

• great victory for castro

• pushed Cuba closer to the USSR, tensions between superpowers increased

bay of pigs consequences- USA

• despite lack of US planes, obvious US involvement; US had broken international law, weak and embarrassed

• Kennedy appears inexperienced when dealing with superpower influences

• loss for US reputation

cuban missile crisis; rising tensions (1)

• 14 oct- nuclear weapons bases discovered in cuba

• 21 oct- Kennedy introduces quarantine zone and blockade of cuba by navy, aiming to stop ships from reaching cuba

• Khrushchev begins prep to defend cuba if US invades

• 23 oct- soviet ships approach carrying missiles- brinkmanship begins

cuban misile crisis; brink of war (2)

• 24 oct- sec gen of UN calls for calm, Khrushchev orders ships to stop

• 25 oct- ussr ship enters quarantine but is an oil tanker, so passes

• 26 oct- US preps for possible invasion of cuba, 120000 troops in florida

• telegraph from Khrushchev- will remove all missiles from cuba if US agrees not to invade

cuban missile crisis; close to brink (3)

• 27 oct- discovery of soviet submarine carrying nuclear missiles close to cuba

• submarine has lost contact with soviet navy

• cuban gov shoots down US spy plane; second US spy plane flees soviet airspace

cuban missile crisis; crisis averted (4)

• 27 oct- Khrushchev second telegram- promising to remove missiles from cuba

• Khrushchev demands US missiles are removed from turkey and italy

• Kennedy agrees so long as the removals are kept secret

consequences of CMC- USSR

• cuba and USSR remain allies

• removal of nukes from turkey and Italy major win- but could not publicly claim credit

• senior soviets criticised Khrushchevs handling- removed from power 1964

consequences of CMC- USA

• Kennedy demonstrates strength to stand up to soviets, tough negotiator

• potential nuclear threat to US removed

consequences of CMC- global

• hotline created for USA/USSR to avoid future misunderstandings

• superpowers agreed to slow the arms race:

• limited test ban treaty 1963

• outer space treaty 1967

• nuclear non-proliferation treaty 1968