The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962

Key learning aims:

• To be able to explain:
  • the long term and more immediate reasons for the Cuban Missiles Crisis.
  • the key events of the crisis in 1962.
  • the immediate effects of the Crisis on relations between East and West.

Key themes and learning points:

• Fulgencio Batista, dictator of Cuba, 1952-59
• Fidel Castro and the Revolution of 1959
• Castro and relations with USA and Soviet Union
• The Bay of Pigs incident, 1961
• Kennedy and missile sites;
• Key events of Cuban Missile Crisis (this includes how it was eventually resolved);
• Impact on East-West relations (this means the immediate effects more especially the hot-line).

Key events

1952

• March – Fulgencio Batista siezes power

1956-1958

• Fidel Castro and Che Guevara lead guerrilla army against the forces of Batista
• December 31st, 1958 Cuban Revolution

1960

• All US businesses in Cuba are nationalised without compensation

1961

• April 4 John F. Kennedy approves the final invasion plan for Bay of Pigs
• April 17 Bay of Pigs invasion begins
• April 19 Bay of Pigs ends in fiasco: Of about 1,500 commandos, 114 died and 1,189 were captured and sentenced to 30 years in prison.
• November 30 President Kennedy authorises Operation Mongoose – a secret program of propaganda, psychological warfare, and sabotage against Cuba to remove Castro from power.

1962

• February – US economic blockade of Cuba becomes an almost total embargo
• September 8 – 1st Nuclear Ballistic Missiles arrive in Cuba
• October 17-28th Cuban Missile Crisis (see bottom of page for complete timeline of this period)

Key learning aims:

• To be able to explain:
  • the long term and more immediate reasons for the Cuban Missiles Crisis.
  • the key events of the crisis in 1962.
  • the immediate effects of the Crisis on relations between East and West.

 

9 minute overview of the Cuban Missile Crisis

 

1. The Cuban Revolution and the origins of the Missile Crisis
   
   
    
   Readings:
   • Edexcel, pp. 94-97: The Cuban Missile Crisis: origins; pp. 98-99
   • Walsh, p.347: Background; How successful were the early attempts at containment?
   • John D. Clare’s page on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Causes section
   • Mr Hinds’ History has a good page on the Bay of Pigs incident

    
   Activities

   • Create a mind map of the key causes of the crisis and explain how each caused the missile crisis.

 

2. The Cuban Missile crisis, October 1962
   

    
   Readings:

   • Edexcel, The Cuban Missile crisis: the ‘Thirteen Days’; pp. 100-101
   • Timeline of the 13 Days
   • Walsh, pp. 348-50: What was the Soviet Union doing in Cuba?; the October Crisis.
   • John D. Clare’s page on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Events section
   • Mr Hinds’ History has a good page (and podcast) on the causes and the course of the Cuban Missile Crisis

    

   Activities:

   • Complete the task on p. 349 of the Walsh textbook
   • Complete the tasks on pp. 350-351 of the Walsh textbook
   • Individual task. Produce a flow chart showing the main events of the Cuban Missiles Crisis OR Create a cartoon of the key events of the Thirteen Days

 

3. The Cuban Missile Crisis: Immediate and long-term consequences.
    
   Read:
   • Edexcel, pp. 100-101: The Cuban Missile Crisis: Immediate and long-term consequences.
   • Walsh, pp. 351-352: Why did the Soviet Union place nuclear missiles on Cuba?; The outcome.
   • John D. Clare’s page on the Cuban Missile Crisis, Results section

    
   Activities

   • Complete the activities on p. 99 of the Edexcel textbook
   • Copy the mind map on p. 101 and explain each of the words/phrases.
   • Complete the D question on p. 101 of the Edexcel textbook

 

4. Overall Conclusions
   Activities
   • Draw up a time chart for International Relations to cover the whole period to assist with chronology question;
   • Put together a mind map on A3 summarising the key events in the period 1945-62;
   • Test your understanding