Relations Between the USA & Cuba

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USA Attitudes to Cuba

Since the 1890s, Cuba had been an economic colony of the USA. So the USA was very worried when Castro seized power.

The Cuban Revolution 1959

In 1959, Cuba had a successful communist revolution.
- Cuba’s new leader, Fidel Castro, promoted revolutionary ideas in Cuba.
- This encouraged revolutionary ideas elsewhere in the region.

Relations between Cuba and the USA

Relations between the USA and Cuba broke down and the CIA attempted to overthrow Castro.
- Cuba asked the USSR for military support and economic aid.
Castro had radical economic and social policies which contradicted those of the USA.
- Castro visited the USA in 1959 but Eisenhower refused to meet him.

US actions against Cuba

In May 1959, the US seized all property they owned in Cuba claiming it was part of agrarian reform.
By February 1960, the USSR had given Castro $100 million to try and help him fulfil his social programme and also strengthen the bond between the USSR and Cuba.
In response to this in April 1960, the US-owned oil companies in Cuba refused to refine oil shipped from the USA. So, Castro nationalised all oil refineries.

Economic sanctions

The nationalisation of American oil refineries led to US economic sanctions on Cuba.
The US reduced its imports of Cuban sugar by 95%.
In response, Castro seized $1 billion of US assets.

Relations between Cuba and the USSR

The USSR saw the Cuban Revolution as a chance to adopt Cuba as a powerful ally to the USSR.

Bay of Pigs 1961

Eisenhower made plans to overthrow Fidel Castro in 1960.

Bay of Pigs April 1961

Eisenhower was convinced that Cuba was turning into a communist satellite state.
- He wanted the CIA to plan a covert operation with the help of anti-Castro Cubans to rid Cuba of Castro.
When Kennedy became President in 1961, he continued with this plan.
- Kennedy used the American armed forces to train 1,500 Cuban exiles.
- In April 1961, the American forces landed in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs to attempt to overthrow Castro.

Failure at the Bay of Pigs

The Cuban exiles were defeated.
Those who had survived were traded with America for medical supplies.
This failed overthrow was very embarrassing for the Kennedy Administration.

Operation Mongoose November 1961

Kennedy initiated Operation Mongoose to overthrow Castro through the use of covert operations and if necessary, by assassination.
The USA also began military manoeuvers in the Caribbean, suggesting they planned to invade Cuba.
In response, Castro sought support from the USSR, which they gave.

Why did Khrushchev support Cuba?

Khrushchev supported Cuba for a variety of reasons:
- He sought to protect a like-minded socialist state.
- He thought it would be advantageous to have Soviet troops on the ground in the Americas.
- Cuba would be an excellent base for nuclear weapons. Not only was it a good location (next to America) but it would require large scale conventional forces to support it, therefore boosting his economy.

1Origins of the Cold War, 1945-9

1.1Events of 1945

1.1.1The Grand Alliance

1.1.2Yalta Conference

1.1.3Potsdam Conference

1.2The Collapse of the Grand Alliance

1.2.1Communism in the 20th Century

1.2.2Relations between Roosevelt, Stalin & Attlee

1.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Origins of the Cold War

1.3Developing Tensions

1.3.1USSR Actions

1.3.2Long Telegram & Iron Curtain Speech

1.3.3Cominform

1.3.4Greek Civil War & the Truman Doctrine

1.3.5A-A* (AO3/4) - Developing Tensions

1.4US Involvement in Europe

1.4.1US Policy Towards Britain & Europe

1.4.2US Attitudes Towards Germany & Berlin

1.4.3The Marshall Plan

1.5Conflict over Germany

1.5.1Sectors & Bizonia

1.5.2The Berlin Blockade

1.5.3The Formation of NATO, April 1949

1.5.4A-A* (AO3/4) - US Involvement in Europe

2Widening of the Cold War

2.1US Containment in Asia

2.1.1Japan

2.1.2China & Taiwan

2.2The Korean War

2.2.1Causes & Military Action in Korean War

2.2.2Attitudes of the USSR, China & the USA

2.2.3Panmunjon Armistice & Impact of the Korean War

2.2.4A-A* (AO3/4) - Widening of the Cold War

2.3Increasing Cold War Tensions, 1949 -1953

2.3.1McCarthyism & The 'Red Scare'

2.3.2USA Dominance in the United Nations

2.4Global Alliances

2.4.1Global Alliances in Europe & Asia

2.4.2Eisenhower, Brinkmanship & Domino Theory

2.4.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Tensions & Alliances

3The Global War

3.1Khrushchev

3.1.1Polish & Hungarian Uprisings 1956

3.1.2East-West Relations

3.2Cold War Rivalries

3.2.1Arms Race & Space Race

3.2.2Berlin Crisis & The Berlin Wall

3.2.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Khrushchev

3.3Conflict in Asia

3.3.1Indo-China

3.4Confrontation Between Superpowers

3.4.1Relations Between the USA & Cuba

3.4.2The Cuban Missile Crisis & its Significance

4Confrontation & Cooperation

4.1Vietnam

4.1.1Johnson

4.1.2Nixon

4.1.3Paris Peace Talks

4.2Cooperation

4.2.1Khrushchev & Kennedy

4.3Pressures on the USSR

4.3.1Czechoslovakia

4.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Confrontation & Cooperation

5Brezhnev Era

5.1Detente

5.1.1Settlements

5.1.2Detente up to 1979

5.2Second Cold War

5.2.1Renewed Hostilities

5.3Developments in Africa & Americas

5.3.1Angola, Ethiopia, Chila, Nicaragua, Grenada

5.3.2A-A* (AO3/4) - Brezhnev Era

6Ending of the Cold War

6.1Gorbachev

6.1.1Gorbachev & Reforms

6.2Cooperation between US & USSR

6.2.1Key Figures & Summits

6.3Collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe

6.3.1Significance of 1989

6.4End of Tensions Across the World

6.4.1Africa, Afghanistan & the Americas

6.4.2Malta Summit & the Aftermath

6.4.3A-A* (AO3/4) - Ending of the Cold War

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