1. The Cuban Missile Crisis
October 1962

2. Background: Revolution in Cuba
Castro’s socialist rebels take control of the island and dictator Fulgencio Batista leaves on Jan 1, 1959
U.S. nervous about Castro, but he initially claims he is not a communist & does not care about the Cold War
Castro kills opponents, redistributes land (angering U.S. businesses), & declares Cuba officially atheist

4. Flair up of tensions
Castro continued to decry “US imperialism” in Latin America; US begins economic embargo in late 1950s
Forces Cuba to look for new markets for products, starts trading w/ Soviets
President Kennedy orders Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, but it fails horribly
USSR decides to send nuclear missiles to Cuba in 1962; US finds out, thus beginning crisis

5. Potential Danger of Missiles in Cuba

6. Kennedy vs. Khrushchev