1. THE CUBAN PROBLEM EARLY STAGES OF COLD WAR

2. FEARS OF COMMUNISM Loyalty Review Board: Republicans were angry at Truman for being too “soft” on communists Truman sets this group up and 3.2 million investigated 212 lost jobs Targeted federal employees House of Un-American Activities Committee: Investigated movie industry Hollywood Ten trial 500 movie people lost their jobs McCarran Act: Tried to find more communists Truman said illegal Overrode veto

3. JOSEPH MCCARTHY Wisconsin republican senator Took advantage of peoples paranoia and started accusing many without any real evidence Started a “witch-hunt” for communists Made his accusations in the Senate where he could not be sued for slander and claimed democrats had allowed for the Communists to infiltrate the government Downfall when he accuses the military and starts a massive investigation

4. CAUSE AND EFFECT OF MCCARTHYISM Causes: Soviets get Eastern Europe, develop the A-bomb, Korean War ends in a draw Effects: Millions of Americans have to take loyalty oaths, millions of dollars wasted, labor unions in decline, people become afraid to speak out against the govt., people back government anti-communist activities

5. FIDEL CASTRO In the 1950’s Cuba was controlled by an American supported dictator Fulgencio Batista Frustrated with American involvement in his country Castro gained followers and overthrew the government and established a Communist country 1959 he claimed “revolutionaries are not born but made by poverty, inequality, and dictatorship” Is this statement true?

6. CUBAN DILEMMA Initially America accepted Castro but when he stole 3 refineries and American sugar plantations we decided to take action as a nation America established a trade barricade which led to starvation of the Cuban people Cuba becomes increasingly more dependent on Soviets for aid

7. THE BAY OF PIGS GOES WRONG Between President Eisenhower and Kennedy there were 3 attempts to “remove” Castro all of which were failures Bay of Pigs March 1960 American CIA members trained Cuban refugees and gave them weapons to eliminate Castro from Florida April 17, 1961 the invasion fell apart Air strike confirmed a hit on defense but was incorrect A group sent to distract the main forces never showed The main unit of 1500 fought 25000... oops

8. MORE CUBAN PROBLEMS Kennedy gave 53 million in supplies and food in exchange for prisoners After this event Castro received full support from Nikita Khrushchev of the Soviet Union The Soviets started secretly sending Nukes to Cuba to target American cities Since they were only 90 miles away they had the capability to strike as far as Denver or New York