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THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISISOrigins
The ‘Thirteen Days’
Consequences
READ PAGES 94 AND 95 – ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
• What is an “arms race”?• Competition between countries to have the most and most advanced
weapons
• What were the causes and effects of the arms race?• The USSR wanted to catch up with the USA
• Neither side trusted the other
• Both feared war was about to break out
• Each wanted military supperiority
READ PAGES 94 AND 95 – ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS
• How much more powerful was American than the USSR?• Early lead – first to develop atomic bomb
• By 1961 – 20 times more nuclear weapons than USSR
• USA also had special planes they could use to drop nuclear weapons on USSR (USSR didn’t)
• Russia did not have enough money
• What colour is associated with the communists?• red
• What was the largest nuclear weapon ever tested?• Tsar Bomba (from Russia)
• 100 times more powerful than the atomic bombs used by the USA in Japan
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION
Why did America want Cuba to be its ally? It was only 145 kilometres away (part of US ‘sphere of influence’)
When was the Cuban Revolution? 1959
Who became leader of Cuba? Fidel Castro
THE CUBAN REVOLUTION
What did Castro want? Independence from the USA
Castro’s new Communist government took over US properties in Cuba
America banned the import of Cuban sugar
The Cuban economy was threatened with bankruptcy
Cuba turned to the USSR for help
Khrushchev offered economic aid to Cuba to help industrialise
THE BAY OF PIGS INCIDENT
Eisenhower Kennedy
The CIA should
assasinate Castro
Overthrow Cuba’s
communist government
and replace it with a
capitalist government
sympathetic to the USA
THE BAY OF PIGS INCIDENT
What did Kennedy do in April 1961? Invaded the Bay of Pigs
What was the result? The Americans were defeated in two days
Kennedy had thought the Cubans would support him but they did not
IN AUGUST 1961 KHRUSHCHEV AND CASTRO DECIDED TO PUT NUCLEAR MISSILES IN CUBA WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE OF AMERICA. WHAT WAS THE EFFECT OF THIS ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING COUNTRIES?
Cuba USSR USA
Castro felt
vulnerable and
asked
Khushchev to
help him defend
Cuba
Khrushchev decided
to station Russian
nuclear missiles in
Cuba (some within
striking range of the
USA)
Was fearful
because Russia
now had missiles
in striking distance
of the US
THE ‘THIRTEEN DAYS’
What were the ‘Thirteen Days’? Period at the height of the missile crisis where is appeared there was
a real threat of nuclear war
THE ‘THIRTEEN DAYS’
16th October Kennedy is informed of Khrushchev’s plans to place nuclear missiles on Cuba
20th October Kennedy decides to impose a naval blockade around Cuba to prevent further missiles being placed there
22nd October Kennedy announces the blockade and asks Khrushchev to recall ships
23rd October Khrushchev sends a letter to Kennedy saying that he will Soviet ships will break through the blockade
24th October Khrushchev issues a statement saying that the USSR are prepared to go to war if America goes to war
THE ‘THIRTEEN DAYS’
25th October American and Soviet forces are on the highest level of alert- they are told to prepare for war.Kennedy writes to Khrushchev to ask him to withdraw missiles from Cuba.
26th October In return, Khrushchev asked the USA for a guaranteee that USA will not invade Cuba. in return they will remove the missiles.
27th October Khrushchev receives inteligence that the USA plan to invate Cuba in 24 hours. They suggest a deal: The USSR will withdraw missiles from Cuba if the USA will agree never to invade Cuba and withdraw nuclear missiles from Turkey.
An American spy Plane is shot down over Cuba, the ‘hawks’ demand retaliation.
Robert Kennedy approaches the Russian ambassador accepting the deal, but demands that the withdrawal of weapons is kept secret.
28th October Khrushchev accepts secret deal
KHRUSHCHEV’S PLAN REVEALED
What did Khrushschev send to Cuba on the 25th September 1962?
114 Soviet ships carrying secret cargo (nuclear warheads & long-range missiles)
How did the USA discover these missiles? Spy planes
Watch this clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W50RNAbmy3M. How do you think the Americans felt after hearing this?
KHRUSHCHEV’S PLAN REVEALED
Explain what the ‘hawks and doves’ were. ‘hawks’ – aggressive – thought Kennedy should go to war ‘doves’ – advised caution – wanted peace
CONSEQUENCESIMMEDIATE
For USSR Khrushchev less authority because he backed down and US removal of
weapons secret Betrayed Cuba?!
For international peace Showed how fragile it was
What two things were agreed on after the Cuban Missile Crisis?
‘hotline’ was set up between US and USSR in June 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty signed in 1963 (August)
Ban testing of nuclear weapons in space, sea and above ground (underground still ok)
CONSEQUENCES – LONG TERM
Watch this clip - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnCps4GHGmY. What did Kennedy say was changing between the USSR and USA?
Arms race By 1965 – same place in ‘arms race’ MAD (mutually assured destruction)
France left NATO Did not want to be involved in war between USA and USSR. Left in
1965 and developed own nuclear weapons
