4. President Kennedy Soviet Premier Khrushchev Cuban Leader Fidel Castro

5. Cuba- A Cold War Hotspot  In 1959 Fidel Castro led a communist revolution in Cuba  Many Cubans fled to Florida  Later in 1961, Cuban exiles (some of those who fled) attempted to return to Cuba and overthrow Castro  The USA supported the exiles and offered CIA assistance/training/intelligence  Exiles invaded at the Bay of Pigs (location in Cuba)  Mission to overthrow was NOT successful  Made USA look bad

14. What Would you do? You are President Kennedy. What would you do in this situation? Your advisors have given you five possible courses of action. Which would you choose?  Do nothing.  Use diplomatic pressure to get the Soviet Union to remove the missiles.  An air attack on the missiles.  A full military invasion.  Naval blockade of Cuba

15. What Kennedy Did Do After recommendations that the US immediately invade Cuba, Kennedy initiated a Naval “quarantine” of Cuba

20. What Kennedy Did Do After recommendations that the US immediately invade Cuba, Kennedy initiated a Naval “quarantine” of Cuba  “Brinksmanship”  MAD= mutually assured destruction After 6 tense days, the following was agreed upon:  Soviets would remove missiles from Cuba  US would remove some missiles from Turkey  AND southern Italy & Greece (secretly!)  Also agreed not to invade Cuba

23. Cuban Missile Crisis October 1962  To offset U.S. missiles in Turkey, the U.S.S.R. attempted to place missiles in Cuba  Cuba is 90 miles from the U.S.  President Kennedy ordered blockade of Cuba  The Soviets backed down and withdrew missiles  This crisis was the closest U.S. and U.S.S.R. came to nuclear war

24. Do you think you can… Place the following “headlines” in proper chronological order??? “Moscow Olympics a “No-Go” for Team USA” “Berlin Wall Tumbles” “Saigon Falls” “Korean War Ends” “Reds Agree to Scrap Bases in Cuba” “Soviet Union Collapses”

25. “Korean War Ends” (1953) “Reds Agree to Scrap Bases in Cuba” (1963) “Saigon Falls” (1975) “Moscow Olympics a “No-Go” for Team USA” (1980) “Berlin Wall Tumbles” (1989) “Soviet Union Collapses” (1991)