Cuban Missile Crisis

• Year of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  1962
• Why were the USA concerned about the Cuba?

  In 1959, Castro had toppled the pro-American government and had taken control in a revolution
• How did Soviet missiles end up on Cuba?

  • Khrushchev had publicly announced that he would provide arms to Cuba in Sep 1961 after the Bay of Pigs incident to defend themselves from any further American intervention
  • By Jul 1962, Khrushchev had placed nuclear weapons in Cuba
• Why did Khrushchev place missiles in Cuba?

  • NATO had missiles pointing at the USSR in Turkey
  • The USSR had become increasingly worried about the USA's military power
  • Khrushchev needed Cuba to remain communist to strengthen the Soviet Union
• What was the 'Thirteen Days' timeline of 1962? (Card 1)

  14th Oct: American U2 spy planes took pictures of Cuban launch pads

  
  

  16th Oct: Executive committee meeting between Kennedy and US government officials to decide what to do instead of war

  
  

  22nd Oct: No attack from Kennedy but he imposes a naval blockade around Cuba to stop any more Soviet missiles reaching it. The USA had 54 bombers ready in case the USSR decided to ignore the blockade and push through

  
  

  24th Oct: Soviet ships get to the blockade and turn around
• What was the 'Thirteen Days' timeline of 1962? (Card 2)

  26th Oct: Khrushchev sends a telegram that says he will remove everything from Cuba if the USA do not invade

  
  

  27th Oct: Khrushchev says that he will remove the missiles from Cuba if Kennedy removes the missiles in Turkey but Kennedy refuses but he says he will not invade Cuba

  
  

  28th Oct: Khrushchev sent his agreement and Kennedy sent a secret agreement to remove the missiles from Turkey