1. Objective: To examine the impact of the Cold War on Latin America.

2. Communist Revolution in 1959 allowed Fidel Castro
to take over as Communist dictator
Fidel Castro,
1950’s
Fidel Castro,
2006
Raul Castro
current leader

3. Many Cubans fled to the US hoping to get political protection – scared of what was going to happen in Cuba after Castro seized power!

4. All the Leaders Involved:
Fidel Castro – Communist Dictator of Cuba
John F. Kennedy (JFK) – President USA
Nikita Khrushchev – Communist Dictator of Soviet Union

5. Bay of Pigs Invasion
Eisenhower’s $13 million plan that was implemented by Pres. JFK’s to send mostly Cuban exiles trained by US to overthrow Castro, lasted 3 days, huge failure and embarrassment to the US gov’t

6. Paramilitary
Groups sent into
Cuba

7. Americans, 2 of whom were eventually executed, are arrested in April They were accused by the Cuban government of smuggling guns to anti-Communist rebels a few days before the Bay of Pigs invasion.

8. The Cuban Missile Crisis
In 1962 the USSR put missiles in Cuba facing the US
The US used spy planes to take images of these missiles

9. CUBA The Soviet Union gave Cuba Missiles.
This made the United States NERVOUS
CUBA

10. JFK then ordered a blockade of Cuba

12. 13 day standoff with no actual fighting (Cold War)

13. Upon approaching Cuba, the Soviets turned back due to blockade
Results: USSR
removed missiles
from Cuba and US
removed its missiles
from Turkey and
promised not to
invade Cuba

16. Nicaragua A. In 1961, the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN),
nicknamed the Sandinistas saw
Communism as a positive path
for their country
1. Sandinistas were
inspired by Cuba

18. In 1974, the Sandinistas kidnapped several Nicaraguan elites at a Christmas Party
1. US Pres. Carter responded by cutting off all aid to the
Nicaraguan gov’t until it improved its human rights
violations
2. Sandinistas used state of emergency to gain full power
3. Pres. Carter immediately sent $99 million in aid to stop
communist rule with the group known as the Contras
(Nicaraguan Democratic Force)

19. C. Nicaraguan Peace Plan of 1987
1. earthquake and hurricane devastated
Nicaragua and the US gov’t refused to send
money, now under Pres. Reagan who
personally hates communism
2. people of Nicaragua upset with their horrible
economic conditions
3. US raises money to support the Contras by
selling weapons to the Iranians in
exchanged for the release of US hostages,
became known as the Iran-Contra Affair
a. was supposed to be a big gov’t secret ..yeah right!
D. Nicaragua today it is a Constitutional
Republic with a president

21. Other areas that Communism tried to take hold and the US got involved
A. Chile, Guatemala, Grenada and Peru
B. El Salvador about 12,000 people died
by democide (killed trying to convert
to democracy)