The Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution took place in January 1959, when a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara toppled the pro-American Cuban government. Castro was a nationalist who was not happy with the amount of American control in Cuba – American investment in the country’s businesses gave the USA a lot of influence in Cuba. For example, Cuba’s oil refineries, railways, electricity and phone networks were all controlled by Americans. A year later, Castro made a deal with Khrushchev, agreeing that the Soviet Union would buy Cuban sugar and provide economic aid. There was also a secret clause that Cuba would receive weapons from the USSR. This was particularly concerning to the USA as Cuba was only 145 kilometres away from Miami. In retaliation, in July 1960 Eisenhower reduced the amount of sugar the US would buy from Cuba, before banning trade completely in October, and eventually cutting off all diplomatic relations in January 1961. Bay of Pigs In 1961, President Kennedy supported a plan hatched by Eisenhower and the CIA before he was elected to overthrow the new Cuban regime. On 17th April 1961, the USA sent around 1400 Cuban exiles to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. Sending Cuban exiles would make the invasion look like a counterrevolution and the USA could deny any involvement. However, the attempted coup failed and was a huge embarrassment for President Kennedy. The invasion backfired as Khrushchev and Castro became closer, with the Cuban leader declaring himself a communist and the Soviet Union openly declaring that it would provide arms to Cuba. Whilst Kennedy warned Khrushchev that he could not use Cuba as a base for nuclear weapons as it was too close to the USA. Khrushchev promised this would not happen. The Cuban Missile Crisis However, on 14th October 1962, American U-2 spy planes took pictures of what appeared to be nuclear weapons in Cuba. Khrushchev broke his promise for several reasons: NATO had based missiles in Turkey, close to the Soviet Union. Khrushchev felt threatened by this and may have wanted revenge on the USA, or to pressure Kennedy into removing the NATO missiles. Khrushchev wanted to prove his strength to Kennedy and the rest of the world after the humiliation of the Berlin Wall and mass migration from communist East Germany.
The Cuban Revolution The Cuban Revolution took place in January 1959, when a group of revolutionaries led by Fidel Castro and Che Guevara toppled the pro-American Cuban government. Castro was a nationalist who was not happy with the amount of American control in Cuba – American investment in the country’s businesses gave the USA a lot of influence in Cuba. For example, Cuba’s oil refineries, railways, electricity and phone networks were all controlled by Americans. A year later, Castro made a deal with Khrushchev, agreeing that the Soviet Union would buy Cuban sugar and provide economic aid. There was also a secret clause that Cuba would receive weapons from the USSR. This was particularly concerning to the USA as Cuba was only 145 kilometres away from Miami. In retaliation, in July 1960 Eisenhower reduced the amount of sugar the US would buy from Cuba, before banning trade completely in October, and eventually cutting off all diplomatic relations in January 1961. Bay of Pigs In 1961, President Kennedy supported a plan hatched by Eisenhower and the CIA before he was elected to overthrow the new Cuban regime. On 17th April 1961, the USA sent around 1400 Cuban exiles to the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. Sending Cuban exiles would make the invasion look like a counterrevolution and the USA could deny any involvement. However, the attempted coup failed and was a huge embarrassment for President Kennedy. The invasion backfired as Khrushchev and Castro became closer, with the Cuban leader declaring himself a communist and the Soviet Union openly declaring that it would provide arms to Cuba. Whilst Kennedy warned Khrushchev that he could not use Cuba as a base for nuclear weapons as it was too close to the USA. Khrushchev promised this would not happen. The Cuban Missile Crisis However, on 14th October 1962, American U-2 spy planes took pictures of what appeared to be nuclear weapons in Cuba. Khrushchev broke his promise for several reasons: NATO had based missiles in Turkey, close to the Soviet Union. Khrushchev felt threatened by this and may have wanted revenge on the USA, or to pressure Kennedy into removing the NATO missiles. Khrushchev wanted to prove his strength to Kennedy and the rest of the world after the humiliation of the Berlin Wall and mass migration from communist East Germany.
History%20Superpower%20relations%20and%20the%20Cold%20War%20-%20revision%20booklet%20%281%29.docx