1. Kennedy described Wednesday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 27 as the darkest days of the crisis. Use the information on page 350 to explain why.
Kennedy described these days as the darkest days of the crisis because on the 24th war was a very real threat; if the Soviet ships attacked the blockade, then there would have been war. The 27th seemed to suggest that there would be no way for the situation to be resolved diplomatically because there would be no way that Kennedy could accept the terms offered.
2. Do you think that nuclear war was ever a possibility in this crisis?
I think that nuclear war was certainly a possibility during the crisis. If either country decided to take military action to resolve the conflict than nuclear war would have erupted.
3. Is Source 26 a Soviet or an American cartoon? Explain your answer by referring to the details in the cartoon.
Source six is probably an American cartoon. First, it seems to incriminate both leaders as wanting nuclear war, and highlights this danger, the communist society in the USSR probably wouldn't have allowed this. Second, there is an H written on the bombs, not a Russian character.
4. Using Source 27 list any evidence you can find for and against each of the explanations.
To bargain with the US
-tried to get the US to remove missiles in Turkey
-didn't try to hard to get deals done
-would have been very reckless
To test US
-already thought Kennedy was weak
-bad way to do this as it could lead to mutual destruction
To trap US
-could subvert other nations
-very close to US
-not really necessary; more risk than gain, didn't fight to hard to maintain it.
Why did the Soviet Union place nuclear missiles on Cuba?
To get the upper hand in the arms race
-close to US
-balances US installments in Europe and Turkey
-still a chance of retaliation
To defend Cuba
-didn't do it for other satellites
-no reason for nuclear weapons
5. Choose the explanation(s) that you think best fit what you have found out about the crisis. Explain your choice.
I think that the most likely explanation would be that Kruschev was trying to get an upper hand in the arms race. At this point in the race, the US and its allies had missiles placed much closer to the USSR than the USSR did to the US. Also, even if the Americans did not know it, the Soviets would have had no time to respond to an American missile launch, and having missiles in Cuba may have reduced that time. Moreover, short to medium range missiles in Cuba could hit both Washington D.C and New York, meaning that ICBMs were not required to hit at least some of the major cities in the U.S.
Showing posts with label Khrushchev. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khrushchev. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
The U.S. Attempts to Contain Cuba
1. Why was Cuba so important to the United States?
Cuba was important to the United States because it was very close to the US and if it became a communist nation, than the Soviets would be able to use it as a military base. From Cuba they could invade the Southern US, although this was unlikley, but the USSR could use it to influence events in South and Latin America, so that the US would not have full control over them. Cuba could also, and was, used as a sight to house nuclear weapons, weapons that could be used to easily bomb the US without having to be ICBMs, rather short or medium range missiles.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
I think that the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than directly invade Cuba because if they lost, the US would not be directly affected beyond taking a little political flak, and the US had successfully done this in other South American countries. Also, the US would not directly involve itself in the war, and thus would not tempt the Soviet Union to do so as well.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The invasion failed because the rebels were outnumbered almost twenty to one, Castro was well equipped with Soviet technology and the invaders were not as well equipped.
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.
The presence of missiles on Cuba changed the balence of power drasticly. Suddenly, the Soviet Union was able to attack the US with nuclear weapons from a much smaller distance, and the US would still need to send the missiles over the Atlantic. This meant that the Soviets could attack the US more quickly that the Americans could attack them (or so the Americans thought at the time, we now know the Soviets still probably would have had no time to launch their missiles in time), meaning that the Soviets had a very large advantage, and might be able to overcome the threat of mutual destruction because of it.
Cuba was important to the United States because it was very close to the US and if it became a communist nation, than the Soviets would be able to use it as a military base. From Cuba they could invade the Southern US, although this was unlikley, but the USSR could use it to influence events in South and Latin America, so that the US would not have full control over them. Cuba could also, and was, used as a sight to house nuclear weapons, weapons that could be used to easily bomb the US without having to be ICBMs, rather short or medium range missiles.
2. Why do you think the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than invading themselves?
I think that the Americans chose to equip Cuban exiles rather than directly invade Cuba because if they lost, the US would not be directly affected beyond taking a little political flak, and the US had successfully done this in other South American countries. Also, the US would not directly involve itself in the war, and thus would not tempt the Soviet Union to do so as well.
3. Why did the invasion fail?
The invasion failed because the rebels were outnumbered almost twenty to one, Castro was well equipped with Soviet technology and the invaders were not as well equipped.
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.
The presence of missiles on Cuba changed the balence of power drasticly. Suddenly, the Soviet Union was able to attack the US with nuclear weapons from a much smaller distance, and the US would still need to send the missiles over the Atlantic. This meant that the Soviets could attack the US more quickly that the Americans could attack them (or so the Americans thought at the time, we now know the Soviets still probably would have had no time to launch their missiles in time), meaning that the Soviets had a very large advantage, and might be able to overcome the threat of mutual destruction because of it.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Arms Race
1. Read Source 12. What methods do you think Dulles had in mind to 'liberate captive peoples' without a war?
Some ways Dulles may have in mind that would liberate 'captive peoples' short of war could be diplomacy, espionage, or overthrowing governments, like in Central and South America.
2. Look at Source 13. Would you agree that the Communist world was encircled? Explain your answer.
I do not agree that the Communist world was encircled, especialy in Asia. I think this because Aisia was predominantly Communist, and only a smal section of it in the far South East belonged to SEATO, which did not pose a threat to the USSR, or China. In the West however, the Communist world was sorounded. Most of Europe blonged to NATO, and most of the Middle East belonged to CENTO. However, the Soviets controlled an equal amount of Eastern Europe through the Warsaw Pact, as was in NATO in the West. So, it is not fair to say that the Communist world was encircled based on the Massive amount of land they controlled, and the fact that their enemies were only in a small perimiter in only small sections of their border.
3. Carefully examine the verticle timeline on page 343. Then look back at Source 12. Do you think the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind?
I do not think that the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind. This is because to use them would most certainly be an act of war, and he specificaly said there were ways to do it without war. On the other hand, he could have meant that there would be no need fo rconventional war if the bombs destroyed the Soviet Union first. However, it is unlikely that Dulles could have known the path that the race for the best bomb was going to take when he made that statment in 1952. Thus, if Dulles ever intended for the further development of nuclear weapons to be a way to liberate nations peacfully, it likly happend after he made this statment.
4. Look at Source 16. What is the Soviet cartoon saying about the U-2 plane?
Source 16 is saying that the U.S is using the U2 as a way to spy on the Soviets, something that the cartoonist obviously saw as wrong judging from the evil looking expression on the face of the American.
5. Read the Factfile on page 344. Explain why the USSR was so angry about the US spy flights.
The USSR was so angry about the US spy flights because it was an invasion of Soviet airspace, President Eisenhower refused to apologise or stop the flights when he was asked to by the Soviets. These things caused the Soviets to feel both threatened and insulted by the United States.
6. How would the USA justify this violation of Soviet territory?
The USA justified this violation of Soviet territory by
7. If the USSR had had U-2 planes, do you think it would have used them? Why?
The USSR would definatly have used U-2 planes if they had had them. They would have used them because they were already using people to spy on the U.S and the jump to planes is not a great one, and would lower the cost of human life on the Soviet Side.
8. Look at Source 17. Why do you think the USA had missiles based in Europe?
The US had missle sites in Europe so that they couldd more easily and quikly defend the European allies as well as respond to Soviet threats more quikly.
9. Define the term 'nuclear deterrent' in not more than 20 words.
Neuclear Deterennt is the idea that if a country has neucleear wepon, another will not attack with nuclear weopns for fear of retaliation.
Some ways Dulles may have in mind that would liberate 'captive peoples' short of war could be diplomacy, espionage, or overthrowing governments, like in Central and South America.
2. Look at Source 13. Would you agree that the Communist world was encircled? Explain your answer.
I do not agree that the Communist world was encircled, especialy in Asia. I think this because Aisia was predominantly Communist, and only a smal section of it in the far South East belonged to SEATO, which did not pose a threat to the USSR, or China. In the West however, the Communist world was sorounded. Most of Europe blonged to NATO, and most of the Middle East belonged to CENTO. However, the Soviets controlled an equal amount of Eastern Europe through the Warsaw Pact, as was in NATO in the West. So, it is not fair to say that the Communist world was encircled based on the Massive amount of land they controlled, and the fact that their enemies were only in a small perimiter in only small sections of their border.
3. Carefully examine the verticle timeline on page 343. Then look back at Source 12. Do you think the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind?
I do not think that the development of nuclear weapons was what Dulles might have had in mind. This is because to use them would most certainly be an act of war, and he specificaly said there were ways to do it without war. On the other hand, he could have meant that there would be no need fo rconventional war if the bombs destroyed the Soviet Union first. However, it is unlikely that Dulles could have known the path that the race for the best bomb was going to take when he made that statment in 1952. Thus, if Dulles ever intended for the further development of nuclear weapons to be a way to liberate nations peacfully, it likly happend after he made this statment.
4. Look at Source 16. What is the Soviet cartoon saying about the U-2 plane?
Source 16 is saying that the U.S is using the U2 as a way to spy on the Soviets, something that the cartoonist obviously saw as wrong judging from the evil looking expression on the face of the American.
5. Read the Factfile on page 344. Explain why the USSR was so angry about the US spy flights.
The USSR was so angry about the US spy flights because it was an invasion of Soviet airspace, President Eisenhower refused to apologise or stop the flights when he was asked to by the Soviets. These things caused the Soviets to feel both threatened and insulted by the United States.
6. How would the USA justify this violation of Soviet territory?
The USA justified this violation of Soviet territory by
7. If the USSR had had U-2 planes, do you think it would have used them? Why?
The USSR would definatly have used U-2 planes if they had had them. They would have used them because they were already using people to spy on the U.S and the jump to planes is not a great one, and would lower the cost of human life on the Soviet Side.
8. Look at Source 17. Why do you think the USA had missiles based in Europe?
The US had missle sites in Europe so that they couldd more easily and quikly defend the European allies as well as respond to Soviet threats more quikly.
9. Define the term 'nuclear deterrent' in not more than 20 words.
Neuclear Deterennt is the idea that if a country has neucleear wepon, another will not attack with nuclear weopns for fear of retaliation.
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