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Cuba missile crisis - Coggle Diagram
Cuba missile crisis
Rising tensions between USA and Cuba
American political intervention in Cuba
President of Cuba was Colonel Fulgencio Batista
His rule became increasingly corrupt and dictatorial
Exploited Cuba's commercial interests by establishing relationships with the American mafia, who controlled illegal businesses in Havana
Used secret police to repress the Cuban people, as well as opponents of his regime, often through violent means
Cuban Revolution
Batista's dictatorial rule set the scene for the rise of Fidel Castro and the Cuban Revolution
Castro conducted a guerilla warfare against Batista's government
Batista lost support from the USA due to his increasingly oppressive rule
Batista's army demoralised while Castro's army of soldiers swelled to thousands
Castro was part of the Communist Party
Did not reduce the USA's fear over the spread of communist influence especially in Cuba
Castro's new policies that threatened American investments in Cuba
Seeking new market for Cuban sugar
Castro contacted the Soviet embassy
Soviet agreed to buy half a million tonnes of sugar
Castro and Khrushchev agreed that a Soviet trade exhibition
Russians would buy sugar over 5 years
Tour in the Americans would go to Cuba
Soviet agreed to the barter of more Cuban sugar for Soviet oil
USA saw this as a sign of Cuba aligning with the Communist bloc
Land Reform Law
Castro wanted to break up the largest private estates in Cuba
Redistribute them among the poorer farmers, to solve the problem of inequality
Castro was heading towards a socialist direction with its heavy-handed redistributive policies
USA was worried about Castro's Cuba was ideologically opposed to its own capitalist economy
Large properties owned by the USA would get broken up
Castro's friendship with Khrushchev
Castro stayed in the poor district of Harlem during his visit to address the United Nations General Assembly
Khrushchev visited Castro in his Harlem hotel
Meeting would be a double demonstration against the discriminatory policies of the USA towards African Americans, as well as Cuba
The meeting strengthen the relationship between Castro and Khrushchev
Highlighted the tensions between the superpowers
Claimed to be leaders in upholding freedom despite having different ideologies, political and economic systems
Escalating tensions due to American retaliation against Cuba
Economic pressure on Cuba
USA planned to use dominance over the Cuban economy to force Castro to change his policy
USA put in place an embargo on American exports to Cuba on everything except food and medicine
Ineffective
Soviet Union and its allies stepped in and fulfilled Cuba's economic needs
Eastern European countries agreed to buy more sugar than the USA
Allowed Castro to continue his programme of land reform and nationalisation without fear of American economic sanctions
Bay of Pigs invasion
Developed by American Central Intelligence to overthrow Castro's government
Training Cuban exiles
Invasion of Cuba
CIA trained Cubans exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba
Castro prepared for the invasion, and the invading forces were subdued within only two days
Americans assured the UN General Assembly, against the accusation of Cuba
USA would not invade Cuba and that it had no control over Cuba
Not only a military disaster, but also a diplomatic fiasco
USA supplied planes and weapons, as well as assisted in the logistical planning
USA was embarrassed while the Soviet Union, Latin America and the UN were angry and surprised
Rather than weakening the regime in Havana, the invasion had provided Castro with an opportunity to crack down on his opponent
Rallied the nationalist sentiments of the Cubans around the defence of his government against further American intervention
Revoked American recognition of Castro's government and severed all diplomatic relations with Cuba
Operation mongoose
The failure of Bay of Pigs invasion did not end American plans to intervene in Cuba
USA more determined to remove Castro from power and install a Cuban government that was friendly to the USA
Secret CIA operation which consisted of various intelligence operations
Sabotaging important Cuban industries and assassination attempts on important Cuban political leaders
Importance of Cuba to the USA
Strategic importance of Caribbean islands
Expanding American territory
European powers who attempt to colonise or interfere in the Americas is an act of aggression
USA viewed the Americas as its own sphere of influence
Cuba close proximity of the USA allowing the excess to the Caribbean islands
Interference in Cuban War of Independence
Safeguarding economic interests in Cuba
High production of sugar and tobacco
American companies invest heavily in Cuba's sugar and tobacco industries
Mainsource of economy for Cuba
Buy land to set up plantations and build factories
60% owned by American companies
Cuban economy is vulnerable to sudden and drastic changes in price of sugar
Plantations owned by upper-class Cubans who worked with American investors
Cuba's formal alliance with the Soviet Union
After Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuba became convinced that a large scale invasion by the USA was inevitable
Looked desperately for allies
Soviet Union rival superpower to USA
Soviet installation of missiles in Cuba
Soviet and Cuban considerations
Castro's primary interests in allying with Soviet Union was to secure a public defence treaty between two countries as a deterrent against the USA
Necessary to make clear to the USA that an invasion of Cuba would imply a war with the Soviet Union
Ask Castro to accept nuclear missiles in Cuba
Gains that Khrushchev could have in deploying nuclear missiles to Cuba
Political gains
Allow himself to use as leverage to demand further concessions regarding the status of West Berlin
Successful defence of Cuba could increase Khrushchev's prestige among the communist bloc