The Cuban Missile Crisis (1959)
The Cuban Revolution
Before 1959 Cuba cooperated with the US
In the year 1959, Fidel Castro led a socialist revolution that overthrew US-supported General Batista. This ended the co-operation between Cuba and America.
In response Cuba began to trade with the USSR
Initially, the USSR had no idea who Castro was, however, links strengthened and the Soviets began to sell oil & fuel to Cuba. Brezhnev would go on to visit Cuba in 1974 as the relationship grew stronger.
Soviet and USA relations with Cuba
Cuba began to ask the Soviet Union for (military) defense support. At the same time, the USA was trying to bring Cuba back into America’s sphere of influence
The USA would not recognise the government under Fidel Castro (the revolutionary who took power in 1959), and the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) unsuccessfully tried to assassinate him.
Kennedy and the CIA decided that extreme action needed to be taken against Cuba
The Bay of Pigs
At the Bay of Pigs on the 17th April 1961, America invaded Cuba. The CIA told Kennedy that the invasion would look like a Cuban revolt.
The USA assembled a group of Cuban exiles called 'Brigade 2506'. The CIA funded them, gave them US plans and launched an invasion from Guatemala.
The 1,400 US-backed paramilitaries (or soldiers) were met by an army of 20,000 Cubans. The exiles surrendered.
The US Connection to TBOP
Fidel Castro had been informed about the impending invasion before it was launched. This allowed him to prepare his armies.
The American planes used in the raid made it clear that it was a US invasion.
1,202 members of Brigade 2506 were captured
Castro offered to release the men in exchange for $28 million worth of tractors, before an agreement was struck in 1962 to deliver $53 million worth of food and medicine to Cuba, in exchange for the prisoners. Kennedy attended their 'welcome back' ceremony in Florida.
Consequences of The Bay Of Pigs
The Bay of Pigs invasion destroyed the possibility of good Cuban-American relations.
Fidel Castro cemented his socialist rule in Cuba.
The USA lost face. They had funded a failed invasion and pretended they weren't involved.
Origins of the Crisis
In April 1961, the USA had designed the invasion of Cuba, led by Brigade 2506.
In October 1962, the USA discovered Soviet Union missile sites on Cuba
Cuba had allowed the Soviet Union to station (put) missiles there to act as a deterrent to stop the USA attacking Cuba again.