Cuban Missile Crisis

• What was the Cuban Revolution?

  Castro led an armed uprising to stop the dictatorship of Batista
• When was the Revolution?

  • Started in 1953
  • Batista was removed from power in 1958
• USA’s reaction to the Cuban Missile Crisis

  • Wanted Cuba back inside America’s Sphere of Influence
  • Einsenhower reduced US imports of Cuban sugar by 95%
  • Refused to buy sugar from Cuba, which was an integral part of the economy
  • CIA trained Cuban Exiles to assassinate Castro but were unsuccessful
• USSR and Cuba relationship

  • Cuba began to build economic links with Soviet Union instead of USA
  • Began trading Cuban sugar for Soviet oil
  • Cuba wanted to Soviets’ military defence and support
• Bay of Pigs (1961)

  • Cuban exiles were trained by CIA and invaded Cuba at the Bay of Pigs
  • Spies heard of this so the plan failed, these exiles were jailed or shot
• Consequences of the Bay of Pigs

  • USA-Cuban relations decreased but Soviet-Cuban relations improved
  • Castro stayed in power
  • USA was discredited as it supported illegal acts so Kennedy was embarrassed
  • Castro stated him and his government were communist
  • Castro asked Khruschev for military support in case of future attacks by USA
• Cuban Missile Crisis


  • One of the serious crises in Cold War
  • USSR placed missiles in Cuba
  • Lasted 13 days (1962)
• Why did the Cuban Missile Crisis happen?

  • Due to the long term loss of relationship between the USA and Cuba futher triggered by Cuban Revolution and Bay of Pigs
  • USA had nuclear missiles in Turkey that could easily reach USSR
  • For protection against USA
  • Cuba is only 160km South of Florida so it was within range of Cuban Missiles therefore USA felt threatened
• What action did Kennedy take in October 1962 regarding Cuba?

  He decided to blockade Cuba
• What was Kennedy's hope by blockading Cuba?

  To prevent Soviets from supplying military supplies
• What was Khruschev's threat if America went to war in Cuba?

  To launch nuclear weapons
• What did Khruschev propose in his first letter to the USA?

  To negotiate if the blockade was removed
• What was the condition in Khruschev's second letter regarding missile removal?

  The USA should remove missiles from Turkey
• Who negotiated the acceptance of Khruschev's offer?

  Kennedy's brother
• What was the condition for accepting Khruschev's offer regarding missile removal?

  It had to be kept secret
• Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis

  • Cuba survived as a Communist country
  • Soviet Union looked weak as the world didn’t know the USA removed their missiles from Turkey
  • NATO members were horrified as they had not been consulted so France left NATO in 1966
• How did the Cuban Missile Crisis affect USA and USSR?

  • Relationship had almost detoriated to nuclear war
  • A hotline was set up in 1963 between USA and USSR to avoid crises as it could enable direct and quick communication
• Why was the Cuban Missile Crisis important?

  • It was the most dangerous Cold War confrontation between USA and USSR, which almost led to a nuclear war
  • Resulted in both countries working to improve their relationship and slow down the arms race
• What nuclear treaties were signed after the Cuban Missile Crisis?

  1963: Limited Test Ban Treaty, this banned the testing of nuclear weapons in air or underwater

  1967: Outer Space Treaty banned testing or using nuclear weapons in space

  1968: The Nuclear Non-Profileration Treaty, which stated the ultimate goal was world nuclear disarmament
• What was the Hotline?

  • Set up a direct communication between the White House and USSR
  • As leaders were unable to communicate directly during the Cuban Missile Crisis, they were relying on letters
• Why was the Hotline important?

  • Meant USSR and USA could directly communicate with each other so in a crisis they would hopefully solve the issue more quickly
  • Sign that the superpowers were attempting to improve their relationship
• Why was the Limited Test Ban Treaty important?

  First step in slowing down the arms race by controlling the development of nuclear weapons
• Why was the Outer Space Treaty important?

  Sets out the basic legal framework for international space law, prevented the arms race from spreading to space