THE BAY OF PIGS AND THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS Castro, Khrushchev, Kennedy and the days that shook the world

PDN  Review your notes!!

THE BAY OF PIGS FIASCO

THE WARNING “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.” -JFK, inaugural address, 1961

Background to invasion  Cuba is an island 90 miles off the coast of Florida  In 1959, Fidel Castro overthrew U.S. backed Fulgencia Batista  Cuba’s new gov’t seized plantations, businesses and foreign corporations  U.S. broke diplomatic ties  Castro was supported by the USSR

THE PLAN  Upon entering office, JFK was informed of a plan to overthrow Castro that Eisenhower had approved in 1960  The CIA trained a group of Cubans in Guatemala to invade Cuba and kill Castro  The thought was the Cuban people would support this and join the revolution

The Opposition  Some in the U.S. Congress opposed the invasion  “To give this activity even covert support is of a piece with the hypocrisy and cynicism for which the U.S. in constantly denouncing the Soviet Union in the United Nations and elsewhere. This point will not be lost on the rest of the world – nor on our own conscience…The Castro regime is a thorn in the flesh; but it is not a dagger in the heart.” Sen. Wm. Fulbright

WHAT WILL YOU DO?  For your 1 st appointment you and your partner are to role play JFK and his attorney general brother Bobby (JFK will be played by the partner whose first name is alphabetically first).  The CIA and Military want you to go through with the plan of air support to the Cuban rebels but you are worried about the Soviet response if we do this  Decide U.S. action on the plan

THE FIASCO  April 17, 1961  1,500 U.S. backed invaders land at Bay of Pigs and were overpowered by Cuban troops  JFK refused to allow U.S. planes to provide cover  U.S. lost prestige and looked bad  Latin American countries now suspicious of U.S.

THE NEXT CRISIS……

THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS

BACKGROUND  After the Bay of Pigs fiasco, the Soviet Union, in support of communist Cuba, starts building nuclear missile sites on Cuba  October 16, 1962, U.S. spy planes confirm  Strike time for a missile from Cuba to Washington, D.C. – 90 seconds…….

THE CHOICES  The Soviets deny the sites to the U.N.  JFK has to decide what to do…..  Advice from his cabinet Negotiate (however this gave more time for the USSR to finish the sites) Negotiate (however this gave more time for the USSR to finish the sites) Invade (however could lead to nuclear war) Invade (however could lead to nuclear war) Blockade Cuba (however could be considered act of war) Blockade Cuba (however could be considered act of war) Bomb missile sites (however could lead to nuclear war) Bomb missile sites (however could lead to nuclear war)

What Will You Do?  For your 2 nd appointment, you and your partner will role play JFK and RFK (JFK is the partner whose first name is alphabetically first).  Chose what action you will order the United States military to take in this crisis.  Be sure to discuss all the options - be ready to explain your course of action.

THE CHOICE  JFK chose to go with his brother and U.S. Attorney General, Bobby Kennedy’s, advice and blockade Cuba  The term used was “quarantine” because a blockade is an act of war  An invasion plan was made just in case it was needed

THE ANNOUNCEMENT  JFK announced on television on October 22, 1962 that the Soviets were building missile sites in Cuba and the U.S. was going to set up a “quarantine”  “The path we have chosen for the present is full of hazards…The cost of freedom is always high – and Americans have always paid it. And one path we shall never choose, and that is the path of surrender or submission.” JFK, TV address, Oct. 22, 1962 JFK, TV address, Oct. 22, 1962

THE WORLD WAITS  Brinkmanship – the two most powerful nations in the world were in a show down that could lead to nuclear war  Soviet ships steamed toward the blockade…but reversed course  However, the missile sites continued to be built

RESOLUTION  Oct. 26 th Khrushchev, leader of the USSR, sent JFK a letter promising to remove the missile sites if the U.S. removed the blockade and vowed to leave Cuba alone  However, the next day, a second letter was delivered also demanding the US remove its missile sites in Turkey

JFK’S DECISION  Once again upon advice from Bobby, John Kennedy publicly agreed to the first letter sent by the Soviets  Secretly we negotiated the removal of our missiles from Turkey  The world breathed a huge collective sigh of relief………

AFTEREFFECTS  Efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear war  Hot line – between US and USSR  Limited Test Ban Treaty – banned nuclear testing above ground

EXIT ACTIVITY  Study the Aerial Photo of the missile sites in Cuba  Read the accompanying information  Answer the multiple choice and essay questions about this article