The Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962
Background: Revolution in Cuba Castro’s socialist rebels take control of the island and dictator Fulgencio Batista leaves on Jan 1, 1959 U.S. nervous about Castro, but he initially claims he is not a communist & does not care about the Cold War Castro kills opponents, redistributes land (angering U.S. businesses), & declares Cuba officially atheist
Flair up of tensions Castro continued to decry “US imperialism” in Latin America; US begins economic embargo in late 1950s Forces Cuba to look for new markets for products, starts trading w/ Soviets President Kennedy orders Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, but it fails horribly USSR decides to send nuclear missiles to Cuba in 1962; US finds out, thus beginning crisis
Potential Danger of Missiles in Cuba
Kennedy vs. Khrushchev