The Cuban Missile Crisis

1959...

Why did Castro come to power - Janurary 1959

• Had help of Che Guevara
• Resentment of people against huge U.S. influence in the country
• Cuba too dependant of sugar export
  • unemployement / no benefit
  • difference between rich and poor large
  • corrupt government
• No proper political system
• no prospect of peaceful social revolution
• Batista's harsh retalitation to Castro's rebel attacks

 How did Castro's coming to power affect Cuban/US relations?

• At first he was tolerated (only social democrat)
• Enraged US by nationalising American owned industries
• Us embargoed Cuban sugar (1960) Cuba turns to USSR
• Janurary 1961 - US cuts off diplomatic relations with Cuba

The Missile Crisis

• April 1961 - Bay of Pigs
  • CIA backed - easily crushed by Cuban forces
    • Later that year, Castro announced Cuba was a socialist country

Khruschev decided to set up nuclear missile launch pads in Cuba. Since Jupiter missiles were in Turkey.

Why did Khruschev take these actions? October 1962

• Sieze back the initiative from the U.S. (ICBM's)
• Put U.S. in same pressure, as USSR from Turkey
• Gesture of solidarity to Castro
• Test the resolve of Kennedy
• A bargaining tool - to prevent U.S. invasion of Cuba

Kennedy's Reaction

• alert U.S. troops
• blockade Cuba
• demand dismantaling of weapons

Agreement was made after 13 days of tension

Result

• Khruschev promised to remove missiles
• Kennedy proposed never to invade Cuba, and dismantle Jupiter missiles in Turkey.

 

• Brought a marked relaxtion in tensions between US/USSR
• Hot line set up
• July 1963 - US, USSR, UK, signed Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. Only underground tests.

However crisis should have never occured because Russians ICBM's could already reach the U.S...

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