1. U.S. Conflicts
1950s-1960s

2. Opening Question
During the Cold War, what was the United States concerned about?

3. Rotations
You have 7 minutes at each rotation to read and answer questions about the following conflicts
Korean War
Bay of Pigs
Vietnam War

4. Cold War
The United States does not like Communism

5. A Crisis Begins…
After the Bay of Pigs invasion Castro strengthened ties with the Soviet Union
Meanwhile, the U.S. has close ties with Turkey (a member of NATO) and sends 15 nuclear warheads to be aimed at the Soviet Union

6. Meanwhile in Cuba… Soviet Union sends nuclear warheads to Cuba
In October 1962 American spy planes discovered Cubans were building bases for nuclear missiles 90 miles from the coast of Florida
President Kennedy established a naval blockade of Cube and threatened to invade the island if the missiles were not immediately withdrawn

7. Cuban Missile Crisis
Read Documents A and B on the Cuban Missile Crisis and answer the questions on the back of your paper

8. Crisis avoided Khrushchev agreed to withdraw the missiles
Kennedy promised the U.S. would not invade Cuba and withdrew U.S. missiles from Turkey
The leaders set up a “hot line” direct telephone link between Washington DC and Moscow
Stress that this is the closest we have ever come to nuclear war (i.e. the “cold war” becoming a “hot war”)