Cuban Missile Crisis

By AriiRH

  • Background - Cuba becomes pro-Communist

    Fidel Castro overthrows Batista and Cuba becomes pro-Communist

  • Background - Cuba receives arms from the USSR

    For two years Cuba and the USA maintained a frosty relationship, but in 1960 Cuba starts to receive arms from the USSR and American spies know this.

  • Background - USA-Cuba break up

    The USA breaks diplomatic relations with Cuba. It becomes clear that the USA will no longer tolerate a Soviet satellite in the heart of its own 'Sphere of Influence'.

  • Background - Bay of Pigs Fiasco

    Kennedy supplies arms, equipment and transport for 1400 anti-Castro exiles to invade Cuba and overthrow him.
    They are met by 20000 Cuban troops, which captured or killed them within days.

  • The USSR announces it is supplying Cuba with arms

  • Kennedy warns the USSR that he will prevent by any means Cuba from becoming an offensive military base

  • U2 plane takes photos of the nuclear missiles in Cuba

  • Kennedy announces a Blockade on Cuba

  • Kennedy asks Khrushchev to withdraw the missiles from Cuba

  • Khrushchev does not admit the presence of nuclear missiles on Cuba

  • The blockade begins

  • The USA takes photographies of the missiles from a U2 plane

  • 1st letter from Khrushchev to Kennedy

    'The missiles in Cuba are purely deffensive... Lift up the blockade and we will withdraw the missiles'

  • 2nd Letter from Khrushchev to Kennedy

    Khrushchev: 'Withdraw the missiles from Turkey and we will withdraw ours from Cuba' - Kennedy does not accept.
    A U2 plane is shot in Cuba - Kennedy decides to delay an attack.
    Kennedy lifts up the Blockade and threatens to attack if the USSR does not withdraw.

  • Khrushcev withdraws the missiles from Cuba

  • Outcome

    Cuba stayed communist and highly armed.
    Both leaders' reputation improved in their own countries.
    A red phone connecting the White House to the Kremlin was set up.
    The leaders signed a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (1963).