Cuban Missile Crisis

Origins of the Cuban Missile Crisis - Arms race and Nuclear deterrence

Throughout the 1960s, USA and USSR were locked in a nuclear arms race - by the early 1960s, each side had enough nuclear weapons to destroy the other side - lead to a “nuclear deterrent”

American’s towards Cuba - Origins

Cuba is near to Florida, Americans owned most businesses and provided Batista (dictator) with economic and military support - Americans liked him because he was just as opposed to communism as they were.

Fidel Castro

Castro overthrew Batista and quickly exiled many political opponents - clever propagandist, ruthless

Why did the Americans start to dislike Castro?

Thousands of Cuban exiles in the USA who had fled from Castro rule that formed powerful groups demanding action against Castro and Castro also took over some American-owned businesses in Cuba (mainly agricultural) and distributed it among his supporters

USA Response to Castro

Eisenhower authorised CIA to investigate ways of overthrowing Castro as early as June 1960. Tried to also disrupt Cuban economy, American companies working in Cuba refused to co-operate with Cuban businesses that had imported from the USSR and also provided funds to Cuban exiles.

Castro Response to CIA action

Assured Americans were safe in Cuba and allowed USA to keep naval base - however, by summer of 1960, he had allied with Cuba and gained economic aids from USSr (American spies knew this)

When was the “Bay of Pigs” Invasion?

January 1961

“Bay of Pigs” Invasion

Castro thought USA wanted to invade their country and he was right, Americans didn’t invade directly, supplied arms to 1400 anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro.

Outcome of “Bay of Pigs” Invasion

Failed disastrously as 20,000 armed Cuban troops were waiting and Castro captured or killed all of them within days

Impact of “Bay of Pigs” Invasion

Suggested to Cuba and USSR that, despite opposition to communism in Cuba, USA were unwilling to get directly involved in Cuba and hinted at Kennedy’s weakness and suspiciousness of USA policy

Khrushchev arms Castro - The October Crisis

After Bay of Pigs, Soviet arms flooded into Cuba - publicly announced USSr will be supplying Cuba with arms in May 1962. Question was still to be answered if they would provide nuclear weapons to Cuba

When did the US discover nuclear sites

14th October 1962

What happened after the US discovered nuclear sites?

Kennedy decided on a blockade of Cuba and called on the Soviet Union to withdraw missiles (22nd October). Blockade started 24th October after receiving a letter from Khrushchev not admitting nuclear missiles and that Soviet ships will not observe blockade

When did the blockade begin?

24th October 1962 - Soviet ships carrying missiles came towards then turned around, however, missile bases in Cuba was proceeding rapidly

When did Khrushchev send Kennedy a personal letter claiming missiles were merely defensive?

Friday 26th October 1962

When did Khrushchev send a second letter?

27th October 1962 - revising his proposals - he said he’d remove missiles from Cuba if USA removed from Turkey. So, Kennedy delayed his attack

Why did the USSR place nuclear missiles in Cuba?

To bargain with the US - could agree to remove with concessions, To test the USA - new President to show how strong US were, To trap the USA - find them and be drawn into Cold War, To close missile gap - less likely that USA will strike first with Cuba, To defend Cuba - only communist state in West, To strengthen his position in USSR

Outcomes of Cuban Missile Crisis for USA

Improved reputation for Kennedy, resisted hardliners in his own government, secretly agreed to remove from Turkey which shows it was awkward for him - but better than war, also had to accept that Cuba would remain communist

Outcomes of Cuban Missile Crisis for USSR

Khrushchev was able to highlight his role as a peacemaker, Cuba remained as a valuable ally, Khrushchev was able to make US remove missiles from Turkey, made USA get criticised by their own allies, Khrushchev had been forced to remove, USSR still lagged behind USA in arms race, 1964 - forced from power (many believed this was partially because of Cuban Missile Crisis)

Outcomes of Cuban Missile Crisis for Castro

Castro was upset with deal between USA and USSR, Castro kept control and Cuba stayed communist

Outcomes of Cuban Missile Crisis for Cold War

Thawed Cold War relations between USA and USSR - nuclear test ban treaty in 1963 and permanent hold line phone link was set up directly, showed USSR that was not necessary to match technology