Unit 10 Day 1 (Cuba and Kennedy) Quote: “Revolutionaries are not born, they are made by poverty, inequality, and dictatorship.” - Fidel Castro Focus Question(s): How did the culmination of WWII influence the competition between world superpowers? Specified Content: Cuban Revolution/Castro, 1960 Presidential election (T.V./Civil rights), Bay of Pigs State Standards: Concept 9 PO 1 b, c

Cuba and Kennedy From 1956 to 1959, Fidel Castro led a revolution against the dictator Fulgencio Batista. After overthrowing Batista in 1959 he expelled American businesses from Cuba.

In 1960 Richard Nixon was the Republican candidate chosen to follow Eisenhower. The Democrats chose John F. Kennedy as their candidate. Two factors led to Kennedy’s victory, the TV and the civil rights issue.

In March 1960, President Eisenhower gave the CIA permission to secretly train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Cuba in the hopes of overthrowing Castro. Kennedy learned of this 9 days after his election and had doubts about it.

April 17, 1961: 1,300-1,500 Cuban exiles, supported by the U.S. military, landed on Cuba’s southern coast at the Bay of Pigs. Castro had help from the Soviets and soundly defeated the invasion, making the U.S. look bad.