KENNEDY AND THE COLD WAR CHAPTER 28, SECTION 1

MAJOR DATES 1959: Castro seizes power in Cuba 1960: Kennedy elected President 1961: Bay of Pigs Invasion (April) Berlin Wall Constructed (Oct.) 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis (Oct.) 1963: Limited Test Ban Treaty

ELECTION OF 1960 Candidates? Major Issues: Republican: Richard M. Nixon Democrat: John F. Kennedy Major Issues: Was the U.S. losing the Cold War? Economic Recession Is America “adrift”? What did “adrift” mean? Important campaign events / traits Both candidates were young Nixon: 46 Kennedy: 43 Kennedy is Catholic; So what?

ELECTION OF 1960 Important events / traits (cont’d.) Result? 1st televised presidential debate, EVER 70 million viewers Civil Rights events: Martin Luther King arrested in Atlanta So What? JFK supports MLK Result? Very Close election Kennedy wins by 119,000 votes Why? What helped Kennedy win? TV Civil Rights ***ANYTHING ELSE?

ELECTION OF 1960 JFK and LBJ NIXON and LODGE

JFK & NIXON IN STUDIO

JFK & NIXON Before TV Debate

1960 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

The JFK Administration What were Kennedy’s goals? To confront / combat Soviet & communist expansionism Re-define U.S. military policy: Result? Flexible Response Define: Change U.S. military policy from nuclear-dominated to combination of nuclear and conventional / covert capability Effect? Increased defense spending New warfare methods developed; Examples? “Counterinsurgency” Special Operations Units: Ex. US Army Green Berets

The JFK Administration Other Goals? JFK wants to promote Civil Rights JFK wants to attack / reduce poverty Where? IN THE U.S. IN THE “THIRD WORLD” DEFINE: THIRD WORLD POSSIBLE SOLUTION: The Peace Corps Why? In U.S.: To create more equality In 3rd World: To make communism less appealing to people in those nations

CUBA Problems in Cuba: 1959: Cuban Dictator, Batista, overthrown by Fidel Castro Castro promises democracy for Cubans U.S. reaction: U.S. recognizes Castro’s gov’t. U.S. is suspicious Why is U.S. suspicious of Castro? Castro gov’t. seizes foreign-owned businesses Examples? Oil Refineries Commercial farms 75% of Cuban farmland had been owned by U.S. sugar companies U.S. response? Put trade restrictions on Cuba Cuban response? Look to Soviets for aid

CUBA (cont’d.) Problems (cont’d.) Cuban population divided by Castro’s actions: 90% support Castro & Revolutionaries 10% opposed to Castro ; go into exile* *Where do most Cuban exiles go? Cuba’s gov’t. becomes Communist Effect? Cuba pulled into Cold War U.S. – Soviet confrontation over Cuba is likely

Fidel Castro & Che Guevara

CASTRO ON LIFE MAGAZINE COVER, JANUARY, 1959

Che Guevara, 1960

CHE GUEVARA, TIME MAGAZINE COVER, 1963

MAD MAGAZINE, OCTOBER, 1963

THE BAY OF PIGS When? April, 1961 Where? Cuba What? Did What? Effect? CIA operation to overthrow Castro 1400 Anti-Castro exiles trained by CIA to invade & overthrow Castro JFK approved plan Did What? Invasion force is not given U.S. military support Invasion is a complete failure Effect? Castro & his gov’t. appear stronger to world U.S. & JFK appear weak / incompetent / untrustworthy to world What does this make the Soviets think?

THE BAY OF PIGS, CUBA, 1961

THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS When? October, 1962 What? Confrontation / standoff between communists (USSR & Cuba) and U.S. Use of nuclear weapons was threatened by both sides Causes? 1962: Soviets lend / place nuclear missiles in Cuba Missiles discovered by U-2 flights Most major U.S. cities w/in 15 min. attack range JFK announces U.S. response: U.S. will retaliate w/ nuclear weapons if Cuban missiles used U.S. will not allow more Soviet weapons into Cuba

THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS U.S. Actions: U.S. prepares invasion force for possible assault on Cuba U.S. Navy BLOCKADES Cuba Nothing gets in, or out, of Cuba Problem? What will happen if the Soviets try to break through the blockade? What was going on here? Brinkmanship What happens? Soviet ships approach Cuba U.S. Navy is waiting Soviet ships stop - turn around: war is avoided “We were eyeball to eyeball, and the other fellow just blinked.” DEAN RUSK, SECRETARY OF STATE

U.S. Land-Based Missile, 1962

Life Magazine Nov., 1962

AFTERMATH Results of Cuban Missile Crisis: Soviets agree to remove missiles from Cuba U.S. agrees to remove U.S. missiles from Turkey (near Soviet border) U.S. guarantees not to invade Cuba Kruschev is criticized for being too soft JFK criticized for missing opportunity to get rid of Castro Who won the Cuban Missile Crisis? Why do you think so?

BERLIN (Again) Problem? What Happens? Results? Large numbers of people defect from East to West Berlin DEFINE: “DEFECT” Embarrassment to Soviets What Happens? Soviets threatens to blockade Berlin (again) Soviets & E. Germans build Berlin Wall U.S. has superior airpower, so Soviets can’t blockade Berlin Wall becomes symbol of communist oppression Results? JFK & Kruschev establish “Hot Line” US & Soviets sign Limited Test Ban Treaty

BERLIN WALL PLAN

BERLIN WALL CROSSINGS

Berlin Wall, 1961 1991