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Aim: How did the “ proxy war ” over Cuba symbolize the entire Cold War, for both the superpowers and their “ proxies

Aim: How did the “ proxy war ” over Cuba symbolize the entire Cold War, for both the superpowers and their “ proxies ” ? . Small and even medium-sized countries looked for assistance to one superpower against the other

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Aim: How did the “ proxy war ” over Cuba symbolize the entire Cold War, for both the superpowers and their “ proxies

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  1. Aim: How did the “proxy war” over Cuba symbolize the entire Cold War, for both the superpowers and their “proxies”?

  2. Small and even medium-sized countries looked for assistance to one superpower against the other • Small and even medium-sized countries often became pawns in larger conflict • Superpowers used small countries to fight “proxy (substitute) wars” against each other • Superpowers tried to keep economic, political, military control of nations in their sphere of influence • Small conflicts could easily become big ones • A massive military build-up – the “arms race”

  3. US acts in its “sphere” • Iran (1953): CIA led coup overthrows elected government seeking to nationalize oil industry • Guatemala (1954): CIA led coup overthrows elected (socialist) President trying to implement land reform • Dominican Republic (1965): US lands Marine to support military coup against an elected (socialist) President • Chile (1971): CIA led coup overthrows elected (socialist) government

  4. USSR acts in its “sphere” • Hungary (1956): Soviets topple leadership of Hungarian Communist Party after it announces its intention to withdraw from the Warsaw Pact and become a “neutral” country • Berlin (1961): Soviets build the “Berlin Wall,” separating East and West Berlin to prevent emigration from the Soviet sphere to western Europe. (“The Brain Drain”)

  5. Cuba: Prelude to a Revolution • 1903: US picks Cuban government, announces it has the right to intervene at any time, writes Cuban constitution • 1900-1960: US companies control Cuban economy – sugar, oil, mining, transportation, electricity • 1933-59: US supports anti-communist dictator Fulgencia Batista • 1959: Cuban Revolution – Batista out, Fidel Castro becomes President

  6. Cuba: the Early Revolution • 1959: Cuban Revolution – Batista out, Fidel Castro becomes President • 1959: Cuban government announces land redistribution • 1959: Cuba asks major landholders, oil and sugar refineries to voluntarily assess the value of their property for tax purposes

  7. Cuba: Tilting Toward the Soviets • 1960: Cuban government buys out US sugar interests – makes it state property • 1960: US refuses to buy sugar from Cuba • 1960: US oil companies in Cuba refuse to refine oil shipped from the Soviet Union • 1960: Cuba seizes US owned oil refineries • 1960: Soviet Union offers Cuba economic aid; will purchase whole sugar crop

  8. Cuba: Tilting Toward the Soviets • 1960: CIA trains anti-Castro Cubans to invade and replace new government • 1961: Failed “Bay of Pigs” invasion • 1961: Castro declares that he is now a communist

  9. The Cuban Missile Crisis • 1962: Soviet Union begins to establish nuclear missile sites in Cuba • 1962: President Kennedy establishes naval blockade of Cuba • 1962: Soviet freighters carrying additional missiles near blockade zone • 1962: Premier Khruschev demands that the US remove nuclear missiles from Turkey

  10. Cuban Missile Crisis: The Deal • Soviet Union: • Blinks – turns ships around • Removes missiles from Cuba • United States: • Says it will never invade Cuba again • After a few months removes missiles from Turkey

  11. Superpowers: Step back from the brink of destruction No more direct confrontations Cuba: US economic boycott (1961 - present) destroys Cuban economy Complete reliance on Soviet aid; continues as a sugar “colony” w/ Soviet-style state farms Continued attempts by US to overthrow Castro lead to political repression of all other political parties Cubans become Soviets’“Third World” face Cuban Missile Crisis: Results

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