AFP/Getty Images Fidel Castro and Nikita Khrushchev
Fidel Castro and the Bay of Pigs Invasion
IN 1959
A leftist revolution in Cuba installed Premier Fidel Castro as head of a new socialist government. With Cuba's close proximity to the United States, this raised alarm for acting President Eisenhower. He, and his advisors, were scared that communism would spread from Cuba to its surrounding countries and, eventually, to the United States. The USA's tense relationship with the USSR, a competing superpower with a communist policy, only served to enforce these fears. A plan was formulated by the CIA which entailed an invasion of Cuba to overthrow Castro's regime. This plan enlisted exiled Cuban counter-revolutionaries called Brigade 2506. The Bay of Pigs Invasion, as it was called, took action under President Kennedy's administration in 1961. Because of too many last minute changes, and a gross underestimation of Cuban forces, the invasion ended only 2 days later with American defeat. |
Counter-attack by Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces supported by T-34 tanks near Playa Giron during the Bay of Pigs invasion, 19 April 1961.
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Missiles in CUBA
IN JULY 1962
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev authorizes the construction of nuclear missile launchers in Cuba. This was at the request of Castro so that it may deter any future invasion of Cuba, especially by the United States. Since both the USSR and Cuba under Castro's regime were socialist, Khrushchev did not hesitate to provide protection. Upon learning that there were soviet missiles in Cuba, all within the range of major US cities, JFK was quick to react. However, since the Soviet Premier didn't tell the President, or even the Soviet people, that the missiles were for the protection of Cuba, President Kennedy took to deciding between war and negotiation immediately.
On 22 October he announced in a televised address that Cuba is now under naval quarantine. No soviet ship would be allowed in or out of the quarantine lines. This, in turn, sparked an exchange of letters between the Soviet Premier and the President. Khrushchev warned that the US naval blockade of Cuba was an act of aggression. In response, President Kennedy threatened for military action if the soviet missiles were not taken from Cuba. It often took weeks for communication to take place between the Soviet Premier and the President, leaving time for new information to sway each leader's position on nuclear war.
Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev authorizes the construction of nuclear missile launchers in Cuba. This was at the request of Castro so that it may deter any future invasion of Cuba, especially by the United States. Since both the USSR and Cuba under Castro's regime were socialist, Khrushchev did not hesitate to provide protection. Upon learning that there were soviet missiles in Cuba, all within the range of major US cities, JFK was quick to react. However, since the Soviet Premier didn't tell the President, or even the Soviet people, that the missiles were for the protection of Cuba, President Kennedy took to deciding between war and negotiation immediately.
On 22 October he announced in a televised address that Cuba is now under naval quarantine. No soviet ship would be allowed in or out of the quarantine lines. This, in turn, sparked an exchange of letters between the Soviet Premier and the President. Khrushchev warned that the US naval blockade of Cuba was an act of aggression. In response, President Kennedy threatened for military action if the soviet missiles were not taken from Cuba. It often took weeks for communication to take place between the Soviet Premier and the President, leaving time for new information to sway each leader's position on nuclear war.
Castro and Khrushchev share a hug at the U.N (Credit: Underwood Archives/Getty Images)