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Castro assumes power
After becoming Cuba's new leader, Castro passed various new laws. He cut rent costs, cleaned the streets, reformed education, created better healthcare, etc. As time went on though, he was slowly moving towards dictatorship. Castro also became closely involved in Soviet Union affairs. By 1960, the US planned to overthrow the new nationalistic dictator. Link: Website
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JFK is elected President
John F. Kennedy's campaign was hard fought. For the first time, presidential candidates engaged in televised debates. Many observers believed that Kennedy's poised and charming performances during debates made the difference in the final vote. John was the youngest man to ever be the President. His presidency would be tested with Cold War struggles and preventing nuclear war with the Soviet Union. Link: Website
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Kennedy's Presidency
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Cuba allies with the Soviets
After the US started to disapprove of Cuba's new policies, the relationship between the two countries declined. Taking our place was the Soviet Union, which gladly agreed to aid Castro and his country. Eisenhower not paying for the sugar Cuba was going to sell to the US made tensions even worse. Link: Website -
The Bay of Pigs
This attack finally ceased all US-Cuban relations. Kennedy had prepared a rather small invasion force of Cuban rebels, backed up by the US, to overthrow Castro. The ground forces faced heavy firepower, and the air support missed much of its targets. Castro was never overthrown, and the Kennedy administration came under heavy criticism. Link: Website
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Vienna Summit
This summit was all about peace talks with the divided East and West Berlin. Tension increased when Khrushchev mentioned cutting off Allied aid in West Berlin. Kennedy countered this by increasing the US's military power. The summit overall was unsuccessful. Link: Website -
Photos from U.S. aircraft confirm missile sites in Cuba
The Cuban Missile Crisis officially begins. Under orders from President Kennedy, a U-2 spy plane captured incredibly clear images of missile sites being constructed off the coast of Cuba, near San Cristobal. Further analysis comfirmed the fear that the installations were from the Soviet Union. Link: Website -
Kennedy reveals the threat
On this day, the citizens of the US are finally informed of the danger the Soviets pose on the country. The thought of a
nuclear war between the two superpowers was frightening to not only the US, but to the whole world. Before Kennedy told the nation, he wrote a letter as a last plea for Khrushchev to stop and think about his irrational decisions. Link: Website
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Kennedy writes to Khrushchev
Before addressing the country on the crisis at hand, President Kennedy wrote a letter to Khrushchev explaining that he would be making a mistake of unthinkable magnitude if he were to launch the missiles. He expressed that such actions would affect all nations, not just the US and Russia. Link: Website -
DEFCON 2
The climax of the Cuban Missile Crisis. DEFCON, or defense readiness condition, reaches the highest it's ever been in history. With no other options in sight, and missile construction not haulting, the world is one step away from nuclear war. Kennedy is fully prepared to blame all responsibilities and consequences on the Soviet Union, and plans for a full retaliation against Russia. Link: Website -
Khrushchev announces missile removal
Tensions finally dwindle down as Khrushchev delcares over Russian radio that the Soviets prepared to remove the missiles from Cuba. In return, Kennedy promised that the US would not invade Cuba at any time. Both superpowers agreed, and the Cuban Missile Crisis was over. While the Cold War still continued for years, the events that played out in that one month changed the world forever. Link: Website
