Monday, April 26, 2010

The U.S. Attempts to Contain Cuba

In your Cold War file folder in your Google Docs account, read pages 347 to 349 of Cuban Missile Crisis.

1. Why was Cuba so important to the United States?
Cuba had been an American ally for a long time. Americans owned most of the businesses on the island and they had a huge naval bade there.

2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
They didn't want to anger the Soviets so they gave weapons to Cuban exiles so they weren't directly fighting.

3. Why did the invasion fail?
The exiles were met by 20,000 Cuban troops armed with tanks and modern weapons. Castro killed or captured all within days. To Cuba and the USSR, the failed invasion suggested that the US was unwilling to get directly involved in Cuba.

4. Compare Source 17 on page 345 (in the Arms Race.pdf reading) with Source 24 on page 348. Describe how the Soviet Union missiles on Cuba changed the Cold War balance of power.
Before, the US had the power, and their missiles were directed toward the Soviets. Now, the Soviets have missiles on Cuba with a large range of destruction, giving them power.

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