Name:_______________________________

APUSH Snow Day Work for Tuesday March 14th 2017

Directions: Answer the questions below while watching the video. Video may be found here:
http://tinyurl.com/hwqofch (if the link does not work, search CNN Cold War Cuba in YouTube)

1. In the 1940s and 50s, what was the USs interests in Cuba?

2. How were American interests in Cuba affected by Castros revolution in 1959? What does it mean to
nationalize land and industry?

3. How does Castro describe the triumph of the 1959 revolution? How does his explanation compare with
that in the footage that follows?

4. What can you infer from Oleg Troyanovskis description of Castros relationship with the Soviet Union?

5. How did the US plan to get rid of Castro? Why is it significant that Kennedy was insistent on denying US
intervention in Cuba?

6. According to the video, why did the Bay of Pigs fail? What was President Kennedys response to its failure?

7. Why were intermediate-range missiles strategically important for both the USSR and Cuba? Why did the
USSR send missiles to Cuba? What was Castros reaction to Khrushchevs offer?

8. At the height of the Cold War, why was the US surprised to learn about Soviet missiles in Cuba?

9. What options were discussed by the ExComm members? What appears to have been the first reaction of
the committee? Why did Robert Kennedy hesitate about the use of an air strike?
10. What was the Soviet perspective on placing missiles in Cuba? What was the American perspective? How did
the difference in perspective lead to increased tensions?

11. Ultimately, what decision did President Kennedy make?

12. Using Kennedys television address, outline the US picture of Soviet intentions. What specific words did
JFK use to make his point?

13. Why do you think President Kennedy encourage his brother Robert to meet in secret with Anatoly
Dobrynin? What do you think he hoped to achieve? On what did RFK and Dobrynin disagree?

14. How did American domestic reaction compare with that in the USSR? How do you account for the
difference?

15. How does Roger Hilsmans quotation shed light on the underlying goals of the both Khruschev and
Kennedy regarding the Cuban Missile Crisis?

16. What deals did Khrushchev and Kennedy offer one another? How did Robert Kennedy and Anatoly
Dobrynin come to a solution for the crisis? What was the compromise?

17. What can be inferred from Castros reaction to the withdrawal of the missiles from Cuba?

18. What options did Khrushchev and Kennedy offer to one another to avoid the destructive path of nuclear
war?