What were the Cause and Consequences of The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962

What were the Cause and Consequences of The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962

1. Causes

   • The Problems over Berlin and Germany 1958-1961
     • Khrushchev hoped that by placing missiles on Cuba, he would draw the USA's attention away from Berlin and open a window of opportunity for the Soviet union to act.
     • The West (USA, GB etc.) failed to recognise the existence of the DDR or East Germany as an independent political entity.
   • The Paris Summit, May 1960
     • Khrushchev was fully comimtted to peaceful coexistence and at Paris 1960 he aimed at finding a solution to the problems over Berlin and Germany and the Prohibition of Nuclear weapons. The summit collapsed with news that an American U-2 spy plane was shot down on a mission over the Soviet union
       • The collapse of the Paris Summit demonstrates a clear building up of tensions between the 2 superpowers which led to the CMC in 1962.
   • The Berlin Wall, August 1961
     • The Wall stopped the mass exodus of skilled workers from east to west Berlin, It is a symbol of the Cold War. It was a propaganda disaster for Khrushchev, and the Soviet administration
   • The Bomb and the Nuclear arms race, 1949-1962
     • The development of one nuclear technological advance by one country would push the other side to develop better technology:in essence the Arms race.
       • By 1962, USA had a much more advanced nuclear capability that the USSR
     • Nuclear weapons were used as a deterrent to prevent attack from the other side, becasu of the Fear of MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction)
   • The USA and 'Massive Retaliation'
     • Massive retaliation was formulated in the National Security Council document NSC-162/2 , produced in 1953
   • The Sputnik, 1957
     • The USA feared that the USSR's missile capability was more advanced than that of the USA, The USA increased the military spending budget to improve their capability
   • US missiles in Turkey, May 1962
     • Part of a NATO missile deployment programme, to supplement NATO's defensive nuclear umbrella- Khrushchev put missiles on Cuba to remove the missiles in Turkey
   • The Bay of Pigs Invasion, April, 1961
     • 1500 Anti-Castro rebels supported by the US , invaded the Bay of Pigs in Cuba, aimed to remove Castro, failed and Humiliated Kennedy and the American administration
   • Operation Mongoose, November 1961
     • This was aimed at the destabilisation of the Castro regime via covert operations- This affirmed Khrushchevs suspicion that the USA would use force to remove a communist country.

2. Consequences

   • The 'Hot Line', 1963
     • A direct line of communication between the White House and the Kremlin, aimed at a quick solution and a way to avoid further crisis'
   • The Partial Test Ban Treaty, October 1963
     • This banned the testing of Nuclear weapons in this atmosphere, in outer space and underwater
     • An important step towards detente
   • Detente
     • Literally means a relaxation of tensions. IN terms of international relations it came to describe the idea of easing relations between states.

3. Events of Cuban Missile Crisis

   • 1959- Batista Regime overthrown and replaced by a new castro led regime
   • 1960- Period of deteriorating Cuban-Us relation
   • 1961:April- Us supported Bay of Pigs invasion by Anti-Castro rebels.| November:Kennedy authorised Operation Mongoose
     • The Bay of Pigs invasion plan was inherited by JFK, The plan supported 1500 anti-Castro rebel exiles, to land on Cuba and remove Castro,
   • 1962- March: USA launched Operation Quick Kick and military manoeuvres in Carribean
     • 1962- May: Khrushchev decides to deploy nuclear missiles on Cuba
       • 1962- August: Us intelligence observes 'activity' on Cuba
         • 1962- September: SAM sites discovered on Cuba
   • 1962- October: 'The 13 days War'
     • 14 Oct.: American U-2 spy plane discovers Soviet missile sites on Cuba
       • 16 Oct: ExComm has its first meeting
         • 22 Oct: Kennedy announces the 'Quarantine' of Cuba
           • 25 Oct: Soviet Ships begin to withdraw en-route to Cuba
             • 27 Oct: US U-2 spy plane shot down over Cuba
               • 29 Oct:Khrushchev decides to withdraw missiles from Cuba
                 • November: Withdrawal of Missiles is complete and the immediate crisis ends