History Cuban War

US interests in Cuba since its independence from Spain

• Cuba served an economic purpose for USA; forced Cuba to sell raw materials for low prices

• Cuba bought USA manufactured goods

• They controlled Cuban economy and their land

Cuban in the 1950s

• under the influence of America

• Politics is influenced by the USA

• Cuban economy and industry were dominated by the USA

• Relaxed government control; USA mafia controlled much of the gambling, horseracing and hotels in Cuba

Batista’s Cuba

• Lead in having segregation for blacks and whites

• Over half the population couldn’t read or write; 61% of children didn’t go to school

• America dominated Cuba’s industry and politics

Castro’s Cuba

• Abolished separate facilities for blacks and whites

• Allowed free education to all

• Castro negotiated trade agreements with Russia and other communist countries to export sugar and import weapons, tech

Eisenhower’s response

• Began economic sanctions; USA stopped trading with Cuba and reused to buy Cuban raw materials and sugar to undermine the Castro regime or force a change in economic policies

• 17th March 1960, Eisenhower approved a pan at the meeting of US National Security Council to remove Castro

Kennedys Bay of Pigs Disaster

April 1961, CIA encouraged, funded and transported an attempt by Cuban exiles to invade Cuba and take Castro out of power. It became a disaster, embarrassing Kennedy. Sept 1961, Castro asked Russia publicly for promised weapons to defend Cuba against USA.

Cuban Missile Crisis

Lasted from 16th- 28th of October. A crisis point in the Cold War.

Reason for missiles on Cuba

• Superpowers tension: arms races, nuclear testing

• Castro’s Cuba: it was threatening for USA to have a communist rule country in their background. Cuba made trade agreements with Russia and USA stopped trading with Cuba

• Castro publicly asked Russia for promised weapons to defend themselves against the USA

Events of the Crisis

• Pres JFK is informed of the missile build up on Cuba

• JFK decides on a naval blockade on Cuba

• JFK announced discovery of missiles to the public and decided to quarantine the island; JFK announces the blockade

• JFK receives a letter from Khrushchev saying that Soviet ships wont observe the blockade

• Blockade begins the first missile carry ships accompanied by a Soviet submarine

• JFK raised military readiness to Defcon 2 nuclear war next step

• Khrushchev sends letter proposing if USA would not invade Cuba for the removal of Soviet missiles

• Khrushchev sends letter saying conditions for removing missiles from Cuba is that the USA withdraw missiles from Turkey

• US U-2 plane is shot down over Cuba

• Khrushchev announces return of missiles to Russia, trusting USA won’t invade Cuba; JFK lifted the blockade

Long term impacts of the crisis

All of the missiles from the countries were removed. The signing of the nuclear test ban treaty. Cuba remained communist.