3.  US supported a very unpopular Cuban dictator  The people began to revolt and Fidel Castro led the revolution and came to power  At first Castro was a good leader  Improved the economy  Literacy  Health care  But he was very harsh  Suspended elections  Executed opponents  Censorship

5.  As Castro improved economic conditions he took over US owned sugar mills and refineries  In response Eisenhower stopped all trade with Cuba  Castro turned to the Soviets for help and military assistance

6.  In 1960 the CIA planned an invasion of Cuba and got anti- Castro exiles to carry out the plan  In April 1961, these exiles landed in the Bay of Pigs in Cuba.  President Kennedy refused to provide air support  Castro’s forces defeated the invaders, humiliating the US

8.  The failed Bay of Pigs invasion convinced Khrushchev, the new Soviet leader, that the US would not stop the Soviets in Latin America  In July1962, Khrushchev began building 42 missile sites in Cuba  In October the US found the site and demanded the Soviets remove the missiles  The US tried to block the Soviets in Cuba and set up troops in Florida, ready to invade Cuba  People thought WWIII was going to begin or a nuclear invasion

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13.  U.S placed missiles in Turkey – demanding removal of the USSR missiles in Cuba  Fortunately, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles and in return the US promised not to invade Cuba  The Cubans repaid the Soviets by backing Communist Revolutions in Latin America and Africa  The relationship between Cuba and the USSR ended in 1991