HISTORY IGCSE CONTENT - 20TH CENTURY OPTION - USA CONTAINING COMMUNISM - CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

IGCSE CONTENT
USA CONTAINING
COMMUNISM
THE CUBAN MISSILE
CRISIS 1962 - HOMEWORK
7

CAMBRIDGE IGCSE – USA CONTAINING COMMUNISM – MR. D
More lessons on the YouTube channel - MR D HISTORY
INTRODUCTION
To understand the Cuban
Missile Crisis (CMC) it is
necessary to consider both the
long- and short-term causes.

LONG-TERM CAUSES
The Cuban Revolution and the worsening relations with America
were the long-term causes of the CMC.
America had become heavily involved in the island of Cuba. It
supported the dictator Batista and had a naval base there.
American businessmen owned much of the industry in Cuba and
made huge profits, but most Cubans lived in poverty.
Batista’s rule had degenerated into repression and gangsterism.
In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew Batista and set up what looked to the
Americans like a communist regime. Relations grew gradually worse.

A Sea Fury F 50 preserved at the Museo Giron, Cuba in 2006.
The Bay of Pigs Memorial in Little Havana, Miami.

WHAT HAPPENED IN CUBA - TIMELINE
- Cuba exiles fled to Miami where they plotted the downfall of Castro.
- Castro nationalised a lot of land in Cuba.
- America refused to sell arms to Cuba.
- In 1960 Rusia began buying Cuban sugar. This had previously been
bought by the USA.
- Eisenhower ordered the CIA to start training the Cuban exiles for a
future invasion of Cuba.

President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy
greeting 2506 Brigade members, 1962.
Cuban defectors practicing parachute drops.

WHAT HAPPENED IN CUBA – TIMELINE cont.
- Cuba started to buy arms from Russia.
- America tried to stop Western countries selling oil to Cuba.
- August 1960: Castro nationalised hundreds of US companies.
- October 1960: the USA stopped trading with Cuba.
- January 1961: the USA broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba.

KEY POINT
- Some historians think that the hostile actions of America pushed
Cuba into the arms of Russia.
- They claim Castro had no choice.

THE BAY OF PIGS
When Kennedy became president in 1961 there were already for
Cuban exiles to invade Cuba.
The invasion took place in April 1961.
A total of 1400 men landed at the Bay of Pigs.
The whole invasion was a disaster.
The Cuban people did not support them and they were easily
defeated.
Everyone knew America was behind the invasion and it pushed Castro
even more into the arms of Russia.
These events show how relations between Cuba and America had
deteriorated since Castro came to power.

Counter-attack by Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces
supported by T-34 tanks near Playa Giron during the
Bay of Pigs invasion, 19 April 1961.
Che Guevara (left) and Castro, photographed
by Alberto Korda in 1961.

SHORT-TERM CAUSES
Short-term causes sparked off the crisis.
Feeling more threatened than ever by America, Castro turned to
Russia for support.
Russia was feeling threatened by US nuclear missiles in Europe and
Turkey. They started to install nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 100 miles
away from the US coast.
The missiles were medium-range (able to reach most of the major
cities in the USA). On 16 October 1962 two U2 spy planes brought
back photos of the missile bases in Cuba.

Douglas A-4 Skyhawks from the
USS Essex flying sorties over
combat areas during the invasion
Aerial view of missile launch site at San Cristobal, Cuba.

SHORT ACTIVITY
In one paragraph, argue why do you think Khrushchev put missiles
in Cuba. Was he justified? (advice: argue pro and against, at least 2
reasons to 1).

WHY DID RUSSIA PUT MISSILES IN CUBA?
1. As something to bargain with, Rusia could demand that America
withdraw her missiles from Turkey, or demand that the Western
powers withdraw from Berlin.
2. Khrushchev knew Russia was weaker than America and thought
missiles on Cuba will even things up.
3. To defend Cuba against America.
4. To test the new president, Kennedy.

MAIN EVENTS OF THE CRISIS
Kennedy had several options. What he decided was crucial, as the
world was very close to a nuclear war.

TIP
Make sure you are able to explain the advantages and disadvantages
of each of the options.

KENNEDY’S OPTIONS
DO NOTHING – This would make America look weak and the missiles
could be used at any time by Russia.
USE AN AIR ATTACK TO DESTROY THE BASES – Russia might
retaliate, and there was no guarrantee all the bases would be
destroyed.
INVADE CUBA – This could get rid of Castro and the missiles, but
might lead to all-out war.
BLOCKADE CUBA, STOPPING MORE MISSILES ARRIVING – Whitout
using force, this would show that the USA would not tolerate the
missiles, and would give Russia a way out of the crisis.

Bahia de Cochinos (Bay of Pigs), 1961
The SU-100 from which Fidel Castro reportedly shelled the freighter
Houston during the morning of 17 April.

KENNEDY’S DECISION
Kennedy decided on OPTION 4 – THE BLOCKADE.
On 22 October 1962 he announced:
- A naval blockade of Cuba – Soviet ships would be stopped and
searched to prevent any more missiles reaching Cuba.
- All missiles in Cuba should be removed.
Khrushchev now had to decide what to do.

SUPERPOWERS BILLIARD
24 October – Russian ships approaching Cuba turned round, but
work on the missile bases continued.
26 October – Khrushchev offered to destroy the bases if America
promised it would not attack Cuba, and if the blockade was lifted.
27 October – Khrushchev demanded that American missiles in Turkey
to be removed.
27 October – Kennedy decided to accept Khrushchev’s first offer.
28 October – Khrushchev agreed, Kennedy also secretly agreed to
take American missiles out of Turkey some time in the future.

RESULTS OF THE CRISIS
The crisis brought the world close to a nuclear war.
This had positive consequences because it made Russia and America
realise how easily such a war could begin.
This led to the following measures.

TELEPHONE HOTLINE AND A TREATY
Both sides were now more ready to settle their differences by talking.
The first evidence of this was when they set up a TELEPHONE
HOTLINE between them to make it easy for the two leaders to be in
contact with each other.
In 1963 they signed a NUCLEAR TEST BAN TREATY which limited
tests of nuclear weapons.

KENNEDY AND KHRUSHCHEV
Cuba remained a communist country on America’s doorstep. The
nuclear missileshad gone and Cuba was no longer a threat to the USA.
President Kennedy’s reputation was strenghtened. He had shown he
could stand up to the Russians.
The results for Khrushchev were mixed. He could claim that he helped
maintain peace, and that American missiles in Turkey would be
removed.
Some people in Russia did not like the fact that he had caused the
crisis and had then backed down. In 1964 he was sacked.

CONCLUSION AND TIP
The Cuban Missile Crisis actually led to improved relations between
Russia and America.
You need to be able to discuss who won and who lost in the crisis.
You must have reasons to support your views.

HOMEWORK “CASTRONATOR”
1. Give two reasons why Soviet missiles were a threat to America.
2. List the options Kennedy had in reacting to the discovery of the
missiles.
3. Give two results of the Cuban Missile Crisis.

HOMEWORK “CASTRONATOR” - answers
1. Give two reasons why Soviet missiles were a threat to America.
- Cuba close to America
- Cuba communist
- The missiles could reach all major American cities.
2. List the options Kennedy had when he discovered the missiles.
- To do nothing
- To launch an air attack on the bases
- To set up a blockade around Cuba
3. Give two results of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
- The telephone hotline and improved relations between East-
West

HISTORY IGCSE CONTENT - 20TH CENTURY OPTION - USA CONTAINING COMMUNISM - CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

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HISTORY IGCSE CONTENT - 20TH CENTURY OPTION - USA CONTAINING COMMUNISM - CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS