Chaos in Cuba and Bad Blood in Berlin

A failed attempt at victory for the Untied States was a secret operation to invade the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. Its purpose was to cause disorder in Cuba and would end Castro’s reign. Eisenhower produced this in March 1960, when he allowed the CIA to prepare people who were exiled from Cuba to invade their former homeland. Kennedy approved the plan when he became president. On April 17, 1961, the 1,300 to 1,500 former Cubans with the aid of American troops reached the Bay of Pigs and the operation went downhill. Failed airstrikes, poor communication, lost soldiers, and a strong resistance were many of the troubles faced by the Americans and Cuban exiles. Kennedy had to take blame for the failure and had to pay $53 million in supplies to Cuba for the return of prisoners. After the catastrophe, the United States looked foolish and weak.

A major tension point of the Cold War was Berlin. East Berlin was controlled by the Soviets while the allies controlled West Berlin. By the year 1961, close to 3 million East Germans crossed the line and went to West Berlin. This angered Khrushchev. That many people leaving his lands showed the weakness of communism, or that at least something was wrong with the government. Since America had better nuclear power, Khrushchev could not close or land routes between West Berlin and West Germany. So on August 13, 1961, he ordered East German soldiers to build a wall of concrete and barbed wire. This Wall prevented East Germans leaving to West Berlin. While many Berliners were devastated, Kennedy did nothing in response. He also realized this showed the flaws of communism. The Wall symbolized the evils of communism and helped the United States provide a reason for their hatred.

Jonathan