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Castro, Cuba, and the Bay of Pigs

Castro, Cuba, and the Bay of Pigs. Why was Cuba a concern for the US in the 1950’s?. Cuba was closed off politically to the US due to official corruption Cuba was known best as a glamorous resort American organized crime was fully established on the island

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Castro, Cuba, and the Bay of Pigs

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  1. Castro, Cuba, and the Bay of Pigs

  2. Why was Cuba a concern for the US in the 1950’s? • Cuba was closed off politically to the US due to official corruption • Cuba was known best as a glamorous resort • American organized crime was fully established on the island • Many Cubans could not find full-time employment • Dependency on expensive imports from the US

  3. Why did Fidel Castro turn to armed struggle against the Batista regime? • Opposition to Batista (leader of Cuba) grew in 1950’s • Castro, a young lawyer, helped with an armed struggle • Castro led an almost suicidal attack against an army base in 1952 (jailed for 2 years) • Start of guerilla war • Batista responded with greater violence and repression

  4. Why did public opinion turn against Batista? • US halted arms deliveries to Cuba • Jan. 1, 1959: Batista resigns and flees • Castro’s forces quickly take power • Castro liked by US by soon viewed as a threat • Speeches given by Castro align him with the Soviet Union

  5. What role did Cuban and the Cold War play in the president election of 1960? • Kennedy criticized Nixon and Eisenhower for failing to support Cuban “freedom fighters” who wanted to return to Cuba and overthrow Castro • Eisenhower had secret plan to overthrow Castro • CIA had been training 1400 Cuban exiles to invade, march toward Havana, and start a rebellion against Castro

  6. The Plan: Operation Zapata • Who: 1400 US trained and equipped Cuban exiles • What: Exiles invade Cuban and incite an insurrection to overthrow Fidel Castro • Where: Bay of Pigs, Cuba • When: To Be Determined • How: After landing at the Bay of Pigs, the exiles would march to Havana and overthrow Castro with the help of the Cuban people. Radio propaganda would also be used to encourage Cubans to rise against Castro. • Why: Oppose communism and prevent Castro from aligning with the Soviet Union

  7. The Task What should President Kennedy do about the situation in Cuba? You and your classmates will be helping the President make this decision. Within your group, two of your classmates will be representing President Kennedy, while the remainder of the class will assume the role of their advisers. Everyone (including the President himself) will be using primary source documents to help them identify the important factors/consequences that Kennedy must consider in order to make his decision. Prepare for an upcoming discussion on the situation in Cuba.

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