Problems with CubaChapter 18 Section 4

Cuba

The US controlled much of the island of Cuba

The US supported a dictator in Cuba Fulgencio Batista

By 1958, the citizens of Cuba were unhappy with their dictator and they along with their leader Fidel Castro over threw the government Batista flees the country Jan 1 1959

Bahia De Cochinos cont.

April 17, 1961 Proposed by Nixon, Planned by IKE Approved by Kennedy

Lead by a group of over 1,200 CIA trained anti-Castro Cubans (La Brigada)

Failed miserably Their boats ran into coral reefs, they had no

air support, (Kennedy would be blamed for this) and they promised that the citizens of Cuba would rise up against Castro along with La Brigada.

Within 2 days a majority of the anti-Castro forces are captured or killed.

Once Castro was in power he moved quickly to remove the US power over Cuba.

Kangaroo trials executed many opponents

The US responded to this by cutting off Cuba economically.

Cuba then turned to the USSR to assist them.

Missiles in Cuba

After the Bay of Pigs Castro asked the USSR for assistance and

the USSR was more than happy to place missiles in Cuba.

On October 14, 1962 A US U-2 spy plan takes clear photos of crews

installing Soviet missiles in Cuba.

13 days in October

Kennedy has 3 choices. Do Nothing unacceptable Invade this means war Blockade On October 22, 1962

Kennedy addresses the nation

It would be called a quarantine because a blockade would be an act of war

Earth in the Balance

The world waited as the days went by and the US and USSR forces came closer and closer

Then on October 26th, 1962 The USSR agreed to remove the missile in

Cuba and the US agreed to remove some of their missiles in Turkey.

What we didn’t know at the time

Outcomes

World opinion of Kennedy goes up Leads to first Nuclear test ban Treaty Hotline between Whitehouse and Kremlin

Problems with Berlin again

Kennedy and Khrushchev meet July 1961 Young inexperienced Kennedy not a match for Soviet premier “ he just beat the hell out of me”

Kennedy gets tough. Increases defense spending, increases draft, and builds fall-out shelters

Khrushchev responds

East Berlin is doing terrible west Berlin is doing great

People vote with their feet Khrushchev encircles west Berlin with a

huge wall 87 miles long \\00-fpvs-05\drathdl$\Kennedy Era\Berlin_

Wall.wmv Kennedy will give an address there \\00-fpvs-05\drathdl$\Kennedy Era\Ich_Bi

n_Ein_Berliner.asf