IR 360 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay Of Pigs, Cuban Revolution
1 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Cuban Missile Crisis
POSC/IR 360
Unit Eight
The Cuban Revolution
- Exchange of Colonialism for Neo-Colonialism
o 1959, revolution in Cuban, wasn’t clear they were communist, only declared to be
communist a few years later
o Americans dominate Cuba both economically and socially, in ways that are both
tasteful and distasteful
o Large numbers of Cubans forced out of Cuban in 1959
- Cuba develops into the playground of the American rich (things you would never do in
the US; before there was Vegas there was Cuba)
o Cubans hated us for this
- The fiefdom of American organized crime
The Cold War in the Western Hemisphere
- January 1, 1959 Castro seizes power
- December 1960 alignment with World communism; US breaks relations on January 3,
1961
o Establishes an embargo on Cuba
- April 12, 1961 Kennedy pledges the US will not intervene militarily to overthrow Castro
The Bay of Pigs (we invade Cuba)
- April 17, 1961 Bahia de Cochinos invasion by 1300 Cuban exiles (trained by the CIA and
based in the US)
- No airpower and a total defeat (90 dead) – a symbol of American bungling and lack of
resolve
o Bay of Pigs is a disaster
o Loyalty to communist regime is grossly underestimated
o Far more Cuban troops than suspected
o Surrendered and tortured to death
- Truly a young president, democrats do not have a good reputation when it comes to
security situations
o But not without smarts
- Missile crisis rhetoric (Senator Kennedy runs on this in 60)
o Truly knowledge (which kennedy knew) was that the US was far, far superior
- US missile strength
- 1961 is a year of tension and pain between the US and the USSR, time period where
multiple crises develop around the world
o he comes into office and they basically lay this crisis on his lap
o and he didn’t totally love the military
Soviet Patronage
- Cuba as a valuable pawn (Cuba is the jewel in the crown of the soviet union)
o Cuba is the first Soviet success
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
- April 1962 conception of the plan to base offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba
o Why? When you demonstrate your weakness, your opponents perceive this as the
moment to act, which is exactly what happens
- Extensive clandestine deployment (don’t let the Americans know what is going on at all)
The Joker (variable value) in the Crisis
- Khrushchev perception of JFK (joker in the crisis)
o NK thought Kennedy could be pushed over, perceived that a president in a
democracy is inherently weak (prettier than he is capable)
- Kennedy had decided--and publicly announced--that the Soviets would never deploy
nuclear weapons to Cuba.
o Same guy who said they would never invade Cuba (sets himself up for a
credibility nightmare)
- Kennedy had been outclassed in Vienna.
- Khrushchev had decided that the United States would certainly acquiesce in their
deployment.
o NK thought that Kennedy would crumble
Background to the Crisis
July 9, 1960: Khrushchev declares that "speaking figuratively, in case of necessity, Soviet
artillerymen can support the Cuban people with rocket fire.”
- Artillerymen also operate ballistic missiles
July 12, 1960:
Khrushchev declares the Monroe Doctrine "dead.”
- Meaning the US presumption that they can prevent this is null and void
October 19, 1960:
The U.S. ends all exports to Cuba except nonsubsidized foodstuffs, medicines, and medical
supplies.
April 17-19, 1961:
CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion fails (real bad)
June 3-4, 1961:
President Kennedy and Premier Khrushchev meet in Vienna.
- In the context of the embarrassment of the Bay of Pigs
February 3, 1962:
President Kennedy embargoes all trade with Cuba except for medical necessities.
- This is a big deal because there was significant trade between the two
May 24, 1962:
The Soviet Defense Ministry formally decides to send nuclear missiles to Cuba.
- The stage is now set, in the hindsight of history, for this crisis
Summer of 1962 (now in the crisis)
- U.S. Surveillance of heavy volume of Russian shipping bound for Cuba is seriously
alarming intel analysts in the US
- Emerging picture of the military build-up worries John A. McCone, DCI (Director of
Central Intelligence)
o Former navy admiral, loyal democrat
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
o He was very worried, and if he is worried we should all be worried
- Increases U-2 (fast and difficult to see and shoot down, but not stealth as we would see it
today) overflights, concerned that the Soviets might introduce offensive weapons into
Cuba.
- The first photographic proof of surface-to-air missile deployments in Cuba was obtained
on August 29, 1962 (not significant, but alarming…why put them here unless there was
something you wanted to heavily defend, they are defense missiles)
- Seven KOMAR guided-missile patrol boats in the naval port of Mariel, twenty-seven
miles west-southwest of Havana.
o Soviets big on coastal defense…why are they doing this unless there is something
significant to defend? Why are they defending Cuba now? They never had
before…so why now is Cuba being heavily defended with the latest defense
weapons?
- Reveals a SSM launch site that could be launched against invading forces.
Late Fall of 1962 (approaching October)
August 31, 1962: Republican Senator Kenneth Keating warns of possible Soviet "Rocket
installations in Cuba" (not clear if he was leaked this info by the CIA, but how he got that
info is unclear but could only have come from intel that the CIA possessed) and urges
President Kennedy to act. This sentiment echoes in Congress through the first three weeks of
October.
September 4: President Kennedy issues a press statement that denies evidence of offensive
military weapons in Cuba (because no evidence of offensive weapons, only defensive ones)
but warns, "Were it otherwise, the gravest issues would arise."
The Implied Ultimatum
September 13:
At a press conference, President Kennedy declares that if Cuba were to "become an
offensive military base of significant capacity for the Soviet Union, then this country would
do whatever must be done to protect its own security and that of its allies."
Political Pressure on Kennedy
September 20:
The Senate resolves by a vote of 86 to 1 (senate controlled by Demos overwhelmingly,
they basically line up against him and JFK is slapped in the face by his own party) to
sanction the use of force, if necessary, "to prevent the creation or use of an externally
supported offensive military capability endangering the security of the U.S.”
Six days later the House of Representatives passes this resolution by a vote of 384 to 7 (dems
also overwhelmingly control the House…he has been humbled by his own political party)
Pre-Crisis
- July 27, 1962 Castro announces that Cuba is taking steps which would make any attack
on it by the US a world war,
- What could this mean?
- First defensive missiles are discovered by U-2 over flights
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Cuba develops into the playground of the american rich (things you would never do in the us; before there was vegas there was cuba: cubans hated us for this. December 1960 alignment with world communism; us breaks relations on january 3, April 12, 1961 kennedy pledges the us will not intervene militarily to overthrow castro. April 17, 1961 bahia de cochinos invasion by 1300 cuban exiles (trained by the cia and based in the us) Truly a young president, democrats do not have a good reputation when it comes to security situations: but not without smarts. Missile crisis rhetoric (senator kennedy runs on this in 60: truly knowledge (which kennedy knew) was that the us was far, far superior. Cuba as a valuable pawn (cuba is the jewel in the crown of the soviet union: cuba is the first soviet success. When you demonstrate your weakness, your opponents perceive this as the moment to act, which is exactly what happens.
