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Period: to
President Eisenhower
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Sputnik 1 launched
The world's first man-made satellite. -
Khrushchev's Ultimatum
The ultimatum gave US troops 6 months to withdraw from Berlin. -
Castro's revolutionary government gains power
Fidel Castro wanted Cuba to have greater independence from the United States. -
The Geneva Summit
No solution was agreed, but it laid groundwork for a face to face meeting between Eisenhower and Khrushchev. -
Castro's Land Reform Act
The act banned foreign ownership of land. Many countries owned land in Cuba and accepted payment from the Cuban government for their land, but the USA did not. After Eisenhower refuses to accept Castro's government, the US did not accept that it had the right to pass laws. -
The Camp David Summit
The two leaders spoke frankly; a solution was not agreed but a further summit was agreed upon and Khrushchev withdrew his ultimatum. -
Castro takes American land in Cuba
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Castro agrees to sell the USSR sugar and buy its oil
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Oil from the USSR arrives in Cuba
American-owned oil refineries refuse to take it so Castro nationalises the oil refineries. -
The Paris Summit
It was a disaster. Before the conference, the USSR shot down an American spy plane and captured its pilot Gary Powers. Khrushchev walked out of the conference in protest when Eisenhower refused to apologise. -
USA banned all trade with Cuba
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Period: to
President Kennedy
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First Strike on Cuba by disguised US planes
The strike missed most of its targets, the planes were photographed and US involvement was made public. A second airstrike was cancelled. -
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
A Cuban-exile army of 1,400 invade Cuba with US backing. -
The Vienna Conference
Khrushchev saw Kennedy's inexperience as a weakness to be exploited and reissued the ultimatum as he thought that Kennedy would back down. However, Kennedy refused to back down and so a stalemate was reached. -
The construction of the Berlin Wall
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The Berlin Crisis
An 18 hour stand-off between US and Soviet tanks at Checkpoint Charlie. -
The Tsar Bomba detonated
The largest nuclear bomb ever tested. It was eight metres long and weighed 27 tons. -
Khrushchev sent 114 Soviet ships to Cuba
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Kennedy informed of plans to place Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba
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Period: to
The Thirteen Days
The height of the Cuban missile crisis where nuclear war was a real possibility. -
Naval Blockade around Cuba
Enforced by Kennedy to prevent further nuclear missiles reaching Cuba. -
Kennedy officially declares the blockade
He calls on Khrushchev to withdraw his ships. -
Khrushchev declares Soviet ships will break through the blockade
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Soviet ships approach the blockade
At 10:32am the closest ships stop or turn round. Khrushchev issues a statement that the USSR is prepared to launch nuclear weapons if the USA goes to war. -
US and Soviet troops prepare for war
Kennedy writes to Khrushchev asking him to withdraw missiles from Cuba. -
Khrushchev responds to Kennedy's letter
He will withdraw Soviet missiles if the USA guarantee they will not invade Cuba -
Khrushchev proposes a deal
He received intelligence that the US would invade Cuba in 24 hours. He states that the USSR will withdraw missiles from Cuba if the USA agree never to invade Cuba and withdraw their nuclear missiles from Turkey -
American spy plan shot down over Cuba
The Hawks demand retaliation. -
Robert Kennedy accepts Khrushchev's deal
But demand that the withdrawal of US nuclear missiles from Turkey is kept secret. -
Khrushchev accepts the secret deal
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The 'hotline' set up
A direct communications link between the American President in Washington and the Soviet Premier in Moscow. -
President Kennedy's 'Ich bin ein Berliner' speech
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The Limited Test Ban Treaty
Ban on the testing of all nuclear weapons in space, in the sea and above ground (underground tests were still permitted). -
The USSR = USA in nuclear capability
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France leaves NATO
Charles de Gaulle (the French president) was appalled at the idea of France being involved in nuclear war between the USA and the USSR. France begins to develop its own nuclear weapons. -
The Brezhnev Doctrine
The USSR had the right to invade any country in Eastern Europe whose actions appeared to threaten the security of the whole Eastern Bloc. -
Alexander Dubcek becomes Communist Party leader
Replaces Antonin Novotny -
The Prague Spring reforms
Liberal changes brought about by Dubcek. 'Socialism with a man face'. -
Soviet tanks enter Czechoslovakia
500,000 troops. Dubcek ordered people not to respond violently. -
Dubcek signs the Moscow Protocol
The Moscow Protocol committed the Czech government to 'protect socialism' by reintroducing censorship and removing political opposition.