THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISISUS-Cuban Relations 1890s to the Present

90 miles off the coast…

Spanish-American War, 1898 Spain accused of atrocities against

Cubans Yellow Journalism fans the flames US invokes Monroe Doctrine and

Roosevelt Corollary US wins war

Gains control of Cuba Platt & Teller Amendments

Democratic government set up

Fulgencio Batista, 1952-1959

Former Chief of the Armed Forces Batista institutes coup d'état

Suspends Constitution Corrupt & repressive dictator…

Cuba becomes resort for US rich & famous Casinos, Nightclubs, tropical beaches US organized crime hot-spot

Cuba has super-rich and the very poor Political problems grow…

Fidel Castro, 1958-2008

Communist Revolutionary Nationalized foreign holdings

Instituted literacy program Allied with USSR & Red China

Executed, imprisoned opponents Hundreds of thousands flee to US

US response: 1960, End trade 1961, Cut off diplomatic ties

Castro and members of the East German Politburo, 1972

Bay of Pigs, April 1961

JFK needs to looks strong Young, inexperienced

CIA plan 1,400 Cuban exiles trained Expected simultaneous uprising of the

Cuban people FIASCO

JFK takes full responsibility Invasion pushes Castro closer to the

USSR

Operation Mongoose New CIA sponsored operations

Sabotage and assassination attempts Burned cane fields, blew up factories &

power plants Lace cigar w/poison, explode giant

clamshells where he snorkeled Castro/Khrushchev believe US will

invade again Need to strengthen Cuba’s defenses

USSR supports Cuba Supplies weapons, officers & technicians

The Missiles of October, 1962 US spy planes discover USSR secretly

building installations for 40 nukes US demands removal

Quarantine Soviets warn it could lead to WWIII

JFK moves to get international backing OAS votes unanimously to support US

13 Days: A Timeline 10/14 US spy planes discover nuke

silos 10/16 JFK gathers Exec committee 10/20 JFK decides on blockade 10/22 JFK announces blockade on TV 10/24 Quarantine goes into effect; US

on DEFCON 2 10/26-27 Soviet Premier Nikita

Khrushchev & President John Kennedy exchange telegrams…

WHY DID THE USSR REMOVE ITS MISSILE SILOS AND NOT PUT NUKES IN CUBA?