1. Cuban Communism

2. Background Info 1902: Cuba gains it’s independence from Spain
US helped Cuba & “ruled” until 1902
US expects open relationship because of help
US allowed to intervene if necessary
Many US companies in Cuba

3. Background Info
1933: Batista takes power in Cuba & was supported by the US
Extremely harsh ruler
1958: Fidel Castro & his army attack President Batista's government
Castro wins

5. Cuba During the Cold War
1959: Eisenhower & Castro promise to hold free elections at first
Not interested in setting up a communist dictatorship
April 1959: Castro visits the USA

6. Transition to Communism
May 1959: Castro bans foreign ownership of land in Cuba
Gave land to peasants
US businesses are nationalized
Clearly a communist state
1960: Cuba & the USSR begin trading
Result: US begins planning an overthrow of Castro & begins a trade embargo on Cuba

7. US Officially Separates from Cuba
January 1961: US ends diplomatic relations with Cuba
April 1961: JFK & CIA begin invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro
Bay of Pigs invasion
Castro’s army wins/embarrassing loss for the US

8. Bay of Pigs Invasion: April 17, 1961

9. Cuban Missile Crisis

10. Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962: 13 days of Tension
The closest we got to a nuclear conflict during the Cold War

13. How did we get here? 1. Failed Bay of Pigs Invasion
Clear that US would try to stop Soviet expansion in Latin America
US moved missiles into Turkey
2. July 1962: Nikita Khrushchev (leader of the USSR) secretly began to build 42 missile sites in Cuba
3. October 1962: US spy planes discover the missile sites
Response = US begins a naval blockade of Cuba

16. How did we get here? 4. JFK addresses the nation on TV
Told American about missiles and the naval blockade
US was prepared to use military force
5. 13 days of tension (October 16-28, 1962)
6. October 28th: JFK and Khrushchev end the tension
Publicly: USSR agrees to remove missiles
Secretly… They ended it through delicate backroom negotiations

18. Essential Question
Today we’re going to look at some of those “delicate” negotiations
Essential Question:
Why did the Russians pull their missiles out of Cuba?
Is this the whole story?
Is it about good negotiation? Or something else?