The USA & Events in Cuba, 1959–62 (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE History)
Revision Note
Author
Zoe WadeExpertise
History
Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Causes of the Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962 | ||
|---|---|---|
Long-term | Medium-term | Short-term |
Since 1945, US-Soviet relations had been tense. Both countries competed against each other to become the biggest superpower. The USA and the USSR developed powerful nuclear weapons that could destroy the world | The Bay of Pigs incident in 1961 heightened Cold War tensions between the USA and the USSR. Castro publicly announced that he was a Communist. Kennedy warned Khrushchev not to place nuclear weapons on Cuba | On 14th October 1962, a U-2 spy-plane took photographs of missile launch pads in Cuba. Intelligence informed Kennedy that approaching Soviet ships could be carrying ballistic missiles to Cuba |
The USA relied on Cuba's sugar and tobacco exports
US businesses controlled Cuba's sugar trade
The US also owned all of Cuba's oil refineries, railways and electricity
As a result, the US attempted to control the political identity of Cuba
In 1933, the US government supported a military coup by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista. Batista became the president of Cuba
Batista was a very corrupt leader. He:
Stopped elections and refused to follow the Cuban Constitution
Allowed US businesses and rich Cubans to thrive while ignoring the struggles of the poor in society
Allowed American mobsters to create illegal businesses
The USA ignored Batista's corruption
US businesses were profiting from his rule. As a result, the US government provided Batista with weapons to maintain control of Cuba
The Cuban Revolution
In November 1956, revolutionary Fidel Castro began an uprising against Batista
He recruited Che Guevara to join his uprising
Castro began a guerrilla warfare campaign against the Cuban government
In 1958, the international media supported the Cuban revolutionaries
At this stage, the US government stopped giving money and soldiers to Batista
On 1st January 1959, Castro and Guevara's forces defeated Batista
The rebels reached Cuba's capital city, Havana
Batista fled from Cuba to the Dominican Republic
Castro formed a new government in 1959
The US government had many issues with the new Cuban government
The issues discussed above affected the USA's relationship with Cuba in the 1960s
Eisenhower reduced trade with Cuba
In July 1960, the USA bought less sugar from Cuba
By October, Eisenhower began a trade embargo with Cuba
By 1961, US-Cuban relations had broken down
The US government ended their diplomatic relationship with Cuba
Exam Tip
Students sometimes struggle to understand why Cuba becoming Communist impacted the USA so much. By 1959, many areas of Europe and Asia had become Communist. To the USA, it looked like the USSR were aiming to make the whole world Communist. In addition, Cuba was only 90 miles away from the mainland USA. The USA had not faced a Communist country so close to their territory. The Cuban Revolution created widespread public fear in the USA.
What Caused Kennedy to Invade Cuba?
In January 1961, John F. Kennedy replaced Eisenhower as the President of the USA
Kennedy was an anti-Communist
He did not want a Communist state only 90 miles away from the coast of the USA
When Kennedy assumed the presidency, the CIA created a plan to overthrow Castro
The CIA wanted to use Cuban exiles to invade Cuba
If Cuban exiles invaded Cuba, it would look like a counter-revolution rather than a US-backed invasion
The CIA's Plans for the Invasion of Cuba
The Events of the 'Bay of Pigs' Incident
On 17th April 1961, the US government began their invasion of Cuba
The US government sent 1,400 Cuban exiles to Cuba
The invasion force landed in the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast of Cuba
In less than 24 hours, the invasion force surrendered to Castro's government
Reasons why the Bay of Pigs Invasion Failed
The weakness of the CIA and the invasion force | The strength of Castro's government |
|---|---|
The CIA had given the Cuban exiles limited military training. They were unlikely to win against Castro's army due to their battle experience | Castro knew about the invasion before it began. Castro assembled an army of 20,000 soldiers to attack the Cuban exiles when they landed on the island |
In an attempt to distance themselves from the invasion, the US government refused to send military support to the Cuban exiles | Cuban citizens were happy with Castro's government. The invasion gained limited support in Cuba |
The Impact of the Bay of Pigs Incident on Cold War Relations
The Bay of Pigs incident heightened Cold War tensions between the USA and the USSR
The event was damaging to the USA's reputation
The USA had accused the USSR of forcing people to live under their political influence in Eastern Europe. Attempting an armed uprising against the independent government in Cuba made the USA look as controlling as the USSR
Cuba no longer wanted a diplomatic relationship with the USA
Khrushchev thought the disaster meant that Kennedy was inexperienced and weak
The Bay of Pigs Incident had benefits for the USSR
Khrushchev claimed the failure of the invasion was a success for Communism
The Cuban people were happy living under a Communist government. It showed the world the benefits of Communism
Cuba became closer to the USSR
Castro publicly announced that he was a Communist. He requested help from the USSR to defend Cuba from the USA
In September 1961, Khrushchev declared that the USSR would give weapons to Cuba
The Thirteen Days, 16th-28th October 1962
The 'Thirteen Days' refers to the period of 16th October to 28th October 1962
Between these 13 days, the world became the closest it had ever been to nuclear war
Kennedy had to decide on how to deal with potential missile sites in Cuba
The US Defence Secretary, Robert McNamara, told Kennedy that the Soviet missiles would become operational two weeks after their arrival. This gave Kennedy time pressure to make his decision about how to react to the arrival of missiles in Cuba
What Options Did Kennedy Have to Deal with Cuba?
Before making a decision, Kennedy had to consider:
How the American public would react to missiles on Cuba
Little to no reaction by the US government could cause widespread panic in the USA
He needed to show a commitment to the policy of containment
How his decision would affect election results
Elections for the US Congress were in November
If Kennedy failed to deal with the situation in Cuba effectively, it would damage the success of his political colleagues, the Democrats
The impact of his decision on other Cold War issues
Kennedy worried that a strong reaction to Cuba would encourage Khrushchev to become more aggressive over the issue of Berlin
Kennedy had limited options to deal with Cuba
The US government had already attempted an invasion of Cuba during the Bay of Pigs incident in 1961
Kennedy knew that this would be unpopular in Cuba and may cause a major conflict within the country
Bombing Cuba would make the USA look aggressive
Depending on the bomb that the USA used, it could cause a significant number of civilian deaths in Cuba
The Cold War was a war of propaganda
Kennedy had to make the best decision that would not damage the USA's reputation internationally
Worked Example
Why was the Bay of Pigs Incident important?
6 marks
Partial answer:
One reason why the Bay of Pigs was important was how it was humiliating for the USA and the CIA (1). The invasion of Cuba on 17th April 1961, planned by the CIA and supported by Kennedy, failed within 24 hours (1). This was important because Kennedy had tried and failed to stop Communism in Cuba. When future issues occurred, he was hesitant to invade. However, he was determined to prove himself as a strong leader (1).
Exam Tip
In Paper One, ‘explain why’ questions are worth either six or ten marks. To achieve all marks for this question, an examiner is looking for two fully explained reasons as to why the Bay of Pigs invasion was important. Use the PEE structure in your answer:
P - Make a point about the question
E - Use evidence that supports the point that you have made
E - Explain why this evidence made the Bay of Pigs important. Avoid repeating the point again. Explain how this factor changed Kennedy’s approach to Cuba. Consider the lessons that he had learnt and how he could apply them to future tensions in Cuba.
The Events of the Cuban Missile Crisis
Exam Tip
Students are often overwhelmed by the number of events that happened in a short space of time in the Cuban Missile Crisis. This revision note displays these events in a flow diagram and with images. This should help you visualise how one event triggered the next event to happen. Knowing the order of the events in the Thirteen Days is important. If you take Paper Four instead of coursework, a question could ask you to write a narrative account of the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis had several positive and negative consequences for the USA
Positive consequences | Negative consequences |
|---|---|
The blockade of Cuba forced Khrushchev to back down. This was a propaganda victory for the USA and containment | Khrushchev achieved the removal of US missiles in Turkey. This aspect of the agreement was kept secret from the US public |
Kennedy had maintained world peace. The US public thought that Kennedy was a strong leader for standing up to the USSR | Some hardliners in the US government thought Kennedy had failed. He had shown weakness by compromising with a Communist power |
Cuba remained Communist and allied to the USSR. Kennedy promised not to invade. This was a failure of containment |
Worked Example
Study Source G.
How far does this source prove that Khrushchev’s motive in the Missile Crisis was to protect Cuba? Explain your answer using details of the source and your knowledge
7 marks
Source G: A letter from Khrushchev to Castro, sent immediately after the crisis The main point about the crisis is that it has guaranteed the existence of a Socialist Cuba. If Cuba had not undergone this ordeal it is very likely that the Americans would have organised an invasion. Now that the climax of the tension has passed and we have exchanged commitments with the American government, it will be very difficult for them to interfere. If the United States should invade now, the Soviet Union will have the right to attack. We have secured the existence of a Socialist Cuba for at least another two years while Kennedy is President, and he may be in office for another six years. To make it through six years in this day and age is no small thing. And six years from now the balance of power in the world will have probably shifted – and shifted in our favour, in favour of Socialism! |
Partial answer:
I believe that Khrushchev had other motives than to protect Cuba (1). This is because Khrushchev is trying to pull Cuba further away from the USA by lying about their intentions. Khrushchev’s letter to Castro states “it is very likely that the Americans would have organised an invasion” (1). However, I know that it is not true. Kennedy did not think invading Cuba was an option. This is because the Bay of Pigs invasion was a significant failure for the USA. In addition, Kennedy wanted to avoid causing a conflict in Cuba (1). This letter was written immediately after the crisis. Therefore, Khrushchev may be trying to make Castro still think of the USA as a danger. Khrushchev’s motive may have been to keep Cuba as an ally so the USSR could use the threat of Cuba against the USA when needed (1).
Exam Tip
This style of question in Paper Two needs you to consider:
What the message of the source is. Identify the event it is referring to and if it is presenting the event positively or negatively. In this example, Khrushchev is discussing the threat of a US invasion of Cuba and the spread of Communism
Knowledge of the event. This cartoon assumes that the reader knows about the Cuban Revolution, the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Add relevant own knowledge of these events to support your answer
The purpose of the source. The source is a private letter between Khrushchev and Castro after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Whilst US-Soviet relations improved after the crisis, it shows that Khrushchev still wished for the spread of Communism and the downfall of Kennedy. Consider why Cuba could help Khrushchev achieve these aims
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