The Cuban Revolution and the Cuban Missile Crisis

The Cuban Revolution and the Cuban Missile CrisisCuba in the 1940s-50sCuba was a close American Ally since the Spanish American WarThere was large amounts of American investment in CubaAgriculture companiesMany real-estate investments(Hotel Industry)Guantanamo Bay Naval BaseCaribbean Playground for AmericansCasino, clubs, beaches

Problems in CubaProblem major source of the economy was from sugar productionsWealth in Cuba was concentrated in a very small upper-classHigh level of unemploymentDeep rooted social and racial dividesSlavery had only ended in 1880Limited options for impoverished majority

The DictatorFulgencio Batista- Cuban President 1934-1944Then led a coup and became leader from 1952-1959Kept close ties with the US These ties were lost as his regime became more brutal and repressive in the mid 1950sUnder his leadership status-quo was kept(rich got richer and poor poorer)Little hope for Democracy

Fidel CastroWealthy educated LawyerUn happy with the lack of democracy and inequality in CubaFailed attack on base in 1953 2 years in Prison and exiled to MexicoIN Mexico met with other Marxist revolutionaries to plan an attack on CubaMet Ernesto Che Guevara- Argentinean Med Student devoted to Marxist revolutions world Wide

The Cuban Revolution1956 Castro and others land in CubaSeek shelter in the highlands (Sierra Maestra)There they gain huge support from rural peasant classThey are promised a better future under a Marxist Gov(equality of land, wealth, social class)

Used Guerilla tactics, bombings, and attacks on infrastructureRevolutionaries gained support as Batista became increasingly brutal1959 Batista flees and Fidel Castro and his leaders take over Cuba

US Fears

Castro slowly becomes more aligned with the USSR creating fear in the USUS business also lost millions when Castro took their properties with out compensation

Bay of Pigs InvasionPresident Eisenhower organized training of Cuban exiles for an attackPresident Kennedy inherited this and gave approval for the attackBay of Pigs Invasion in April of 1961Was a complete failureUS gave no support to invaders( fear getting into war with Cuba)This pushed Castro to seek Soviet support against the US

Operation MongoosePlans to Get Rid of CastroFrom starting rebellion to assassination attemptsIncrease espionage in CubaCIA confirmed 8 plots( Could be more)This led to constant Flights of US spy planesOctober 14 a flight found Nuclear Missile Sights in Cuba

The Cuban Missile Crisis Oct 14th- Oct 28Initial Plan of actionsPressure the Soviet Union I the UNOct 22 Kennedy Public address to the USStart a Naval Quarantine (Blockade) of CubaBegan troop mobilizations in Florida

Soviet Response

Missiles in Cuba only defensiveKhrushchev attack on Cuba= warSent Soviet ShipsSubmarines made it past blockadesUS Response was to go to Def Con 2DefCon 1 prepare for launch fully armedDefCon 0 NUCLEAR WAR

What each leader wantedKennedyCastroKhrushchev-Wanted Missiles out of Cuba-Give a promise of not invading Cuba-end Naval quarantine-US not attack Cuba-Limit Cuban exile activity in Cuba-Return of Guantanamo Bay-End Economic BlockadeWould take missiles out of Cuba US Promise not to Invade CubaUS remove Missiles from Turkey

Agreements Are MadeOct 27 RFK Met USSR Ambassador Anatoly DobryninNotice that missiles were leaving Turkey anywaysSoviets needed to remove Missiles or they would be destroyedKhrushchev's DecisionOct 28 Radio announcement stating Removal of Missiles under UN verificationsUS Would not Invade Cuba-US would remove Missiles in Turkey but not made Public-IF this was made public Kennedy would and the US would look weak as making a Missile swap

Why put Missiles in CubaSoviets lacked numbers and technology of US Nuclear MissilesThis would be pressure to have the US remove some of their MissilesCuba was used to improve Soviet protection Blockade of Cuba lasted Nov 20th 1962Economic Sanctions last till today