1. Cuban Civil War & the Cuban Missile Crisis

2. Cuba: 2 major figures Fulgencio Batista dictator Supported by US
Fidel Castro
Initially praised by Cubans for bringing social reform and improving economy
Harsh dictator
No elections
Jailed opponents
Controlled press
Fulgencio Batista
dictator
Supported by US
Unpopular in Cuba

3. Major Events
1959—1962
Fidel Castro led a revolution overthrowing Batista in 1959
Castro took over economy, including US owned business
US president Eisenhower ordered an embargo on trade with Cuba
Castro turned to Soviets for economic and military aid
1960, CIA trained anti-Castro Cuban exiles
1961—Bay of Pigs Invasion
Easy victory for Castro
US didn’t provide air support
humiliating defeat for US

4. Major Events cont’d
Cuban Missile Crisis: closest world ever came to Nuclear War
After failure of Bay of Pigs invasion—Soviets believed US would not resist
1962—Soviets built 42 missile sites in Cuba
American spy plane discovered these
JFK declared they were a threat
Demanded missiles be removed
Ordered a naval blockade of Cuba
13 days between discovery by US and when Soviets agreed to back down (example of brinkmanship)
Soviets would remove missiles if US promised not to invade Cuba

5. Cuba—outcome Fidel Castro established a Communist dictatorship in Cuba
2011 Fidel’s his brother, Raul, succeeded him
Legacy:
Trade embargo on Cuba still in existence today, Americans aren’t supposed to travel to Cuba

6. Afghanistan’s Civil War

7. Afghanistan Mujahadeen
Communist Afghan government
Aided from to 1989 by Soviet troops
Mujahadeen
Anti-communist Muslim guerillas supported by the US

8. Afghanistan—Major Events
1979—1989
Soviet influence increased in Afghanistan in the 50s.
Late ‘70s, a Muslim revolt threatened to topple Afghanistan’s Communist regime  Soviets invaded in 1979
Mujahadeen were supplied with American weapons & fought off Soviets
US armed rebels because they saw Soviets as a threat to US oil.
President Jimmy Carter stopped grain shipments to Soviet Union and boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics
Soviet Union was crippled economically and withdrew in 1989
Soviet’s thought it’d be quick… became “Soviet’s Vietnam”… stuck at war for 10 years, depleted them economically

9. Afghanistan—outcome
Soviet and US forces withdrew in 1989, but Civil War continued for 3 more years
Afghan communist gov fell in 1992
By 1996, one of the rebel groups that was part of the mujahadeen called the Taliban, seized power and established an Islamic government
Popular at first, became repressive and especially harsh on women.
Failed to improve the lives of the people.
Became a sanctuary to international terrorists
2001—coalition led by US drove them from power

10. And the Soviet Union Falls
The Cold War Thaws
And the Soviet Union Falls

11. The Thaw: Détente Crises of 1960s made US change policy
Cuban Missile Crises, Vietnam War, etc.
Fear of nuclear war
Nixon changes US policy:
From Brinksmanship Détente: policy of lessening Cold War tensions
Visited China and Soviet Union
Began SALT—talks to limit arms race
Pres. Gerald Ford continued détente, but Carter and Reagan were more anti-Communist
(Afghanistan was a move away from détente)

12. The Thaw 1985—Mikhail Gorbachev comes to power
Greater political and social freedoms (atmosphere of open criticism) “glasnost and perestroika”
Economic pressures from Cold War competition build
Scientific research
Space race
Nuclear proliferation
Surrogate wars
Soviet Union dissolves through 1991 (E. Euro nations claim independence)
THE COLD WAR ENDS