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Eisenhower and Exiles
Eisenhower permitted the CIA to train exiles of Cuba. They were training these Cubans in secret to plan an invasion on Cuba. By doing this, they hoped that this event would generate an uprising so they could overthrow Castro. Being a secret, only nine days after his election, Kennedy learned of this plan and approved it. At this time the relationship between the U.S. and the Soviets was not as friendly as it could have been. The United States felt threatened with Cuba embracing communism. -
The Bay of Pigs
On April 17, 1961, these Cuban exiles went through with the CIA’s plan. They landed on the southern coast, The bay of Pigs. However the plan did not go as it was expected to; they realized this when their first air strike had failed. Nothing turned out as expected; the Cubans were backed up by the Soviet Union. Since the air raid had failed there was very little American support and the exiled Cubans were either killed or captured. The tension was rising between the U.S. and the Soviets. -
Summer of 1962
During this time, Castro had a sharp alliance with the Soviet Union. The importation of military weapons increased tremendously. Along with these weapons were nuclear warheads. Responding in fear, President Kennedy told Castro and Nikita Khrushchev that American would not put up with any nuclear weapons or war within Cuba. The U.S. had fear of the Soviets now they also had nuclear devices. -
Photographs
On October 14, 1962 photos were taken by American planes. These photographs revealed that there was a missile base in Cuba set up by the Soviets. In these missile bases, the Americans discovered that the Soviets had ready-to-launch missiles. These deadly weapons could reach the U.S. and destroy the cities of America within minutes. The relationship between the U.S. and the Soviets grew weaker as they learned of these new bases. -
Kennedy and the Cuban Missle Crisis
President Kennidy broadcasted to America that he planned to remove the Soviet missle sites in Cuba. He also stated that there was a possiblity of an attack from the Cuban missle sites, If there was, America would go to war with the Soviet Union. Thjs was the first time the possibility of nuclear war was realistic. Because of the nuclear threat, Americans let their hostility determine their opinion of the Soviet Union. -
Blockade Around Cuba
Premier Nikita Khrushchev wrote to President Kennedy. He said that his blockade of "navigation in international waters and air space" encouraged "an act of aggression propelling human kind into the abyss of a world nuclear-missile war. They continued to talk to resolve their dispute. While they were debating, Soviet ships were sent to try and break through the blockade. The powers continued to lose each others' trust, and tensions rose even more. -
Tensions between Powers
Tensions rose when Kennedy found that Soviet ships were heading to Cuba. Chairman Khrushchev took over the peace talks. His plan was to try to diffuse tensions before it was too late. Kennedy suspended the blockade for two weeks. Soviet ships halted their advance towards Cuba. Tensions began to mend themselves through their peace talks. -
End of Tensions
Nikita Khrushchev contacted President Kennedy. He told him that he dismissed Soviet ships. They returned to Europe. He also ordered the removal of Soviet missle bases in Cuba. The threat was gone, and hostility began to ebb away.
