Cuban Crisis - Part 1

When did Castro seize control of Cuba?

What did JFK call Castro?

Cuba is an island just [blank_start]90[blank_end] miles off the coast of Florida. Until 1959, it was closely allied to the United States under the leadership of the right-wing dictator, General [blank_start]Batista[blank_end]. There was considerable American [blank_start]investment[blank_end] in Cuba as many American companies had links there. Americans owned most of the [blank_start]businesses[blank_end], banks, sugar and tobacco [blank_start]plantations[blank_end], as well as a large [blank_start]naval[blank_end] base. The USA was the chief consumer of Cuba’s [blank_start]sugar[blank_end] and tobacco. In [blank_start]1959[blank_end], Batista was overthrown in a [blank_start]revolution[blank_end] led by Fidel [blank_start]Castro[blank_end].

One of Castro’s first moves was to go to the USA to secure support for his new state, but President Eisenhower refused to speak with him

Castro had not been a communist before 1960, but was drawn to communism by the friendship and support offered by Khrushchev and his government.

The USA now had a pro-[blank_start]communist[blank_end] state ‘in its own [blank_start]backyard[blank_end]’ or in their ‘[blank_start]sphere[blank_end] of influence’ and this was going to really test the American policy of [blank_start]containment[blank_end]. The struggle for Cuba was part of the [blank_start]worldwide[blank_end] [blank_start]Cold[blank_end] War and a [blank_start]belief[blank_end] that communism was on the move and [blank_start]threatening[blank_end] the USA on its doorstep.

The [blank_start]Monroe[blank_end] Doctrine came into play in the struggle for Cuba. This dated back to [blank_start]1823[blank_end] when the USA declared that they had a right to [blank_start]defend[blank_end] themselves and their ‘[blank_start]sphere[blank_end] of influence’ if a European power threatened their interests. [blank_start]Khrushchev[blank_end] rejected the claim of The Monroe Doctrine and declared that it was dead. The USA warned the Soviets that it was violating the Doctrine and therefore the USA would have to impose heavy sanctions. They would use the Doctrine as a justification for [blank_start]covert[blank_end] operations that would eventually take place. On the other hand, the Soviets warned that they would [blank_start]defend[blank_end] Cuba if it were to be attacked by the USA.

Which word best describes the relationship between the USA and Cuba between 1959 and 1961

In 1959, Castro attempted to get American aid for the development of Cuba, but this was turned down by President Eisenhower. He also refused to meet with Castro when he visited the USA in 1959.

What did Eisenhower do to

When was the Bay of Pigs landing?

The Bay of Pigs: In April 1961, just after he was installed as [blank_start]President[blank_end] of the USA, John F Kennedy approved a plan to [blank_start]invade[blank_end] Cuba and overthrow [blank_start]communism[blank_end]. The CIA landed [blank_start]1,400[blank_end] Cuban [blank_start]exiles[blank_end] at the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast of Cuba with the aim of [blank_start]provoking[blank_end] an anti-[blank_start]communist[blank_end] uprising. Almost at the last minute, Kennedy [blank_start]cancelled[blank_end] an order that had promised the Cuban resistance US [blank_start]Air Force[blank_end] support for their [blank_start]coup d’etat[blank_end]. The lack of air support meant the [blank_start]rebels[blank_end] were easily [blank_start]defeated[blank_end] when they were met by [blank_start]20,000[blank_end] heavily armed Cuban troops. All were captured or killed.

What was the name of the Soviet operation to place missiles in Cuba?