Crisis Over Berlin and Bay of Pigs

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In March of 1960 President Eisenhower gave the "OK" to th CIA to train Cuban exiles for an invasion of Communist-controled Cruba. Their hope was to start a mass uprising that would lead to overthrowing Castro. Although JFK had his doubts, he let the plan go through with the agreement of his advisors. On April 17 1961, 1300-1500 Cuban exiles supported by US military forces made landing on Cuba. The small diversion force never arrived when the commando unit hit the shore and the US air force couldn't knock out the Cuban air power. This led to the invading exiles to be killed or capture by Castro's forces. The disaster led Kennedy embarrassed and publicly accepted the blame.

By 1961, 20% of East Berlins' population had migrated out of the split city to find a better life. Khrushchev threatened the U.S. that he would close the access roads leading to West Germany. Kennedy firmly stood his ground and prepared the nation for a war. With Kennedy's determination and America's superior nuclear striking power prevented Khrushchev from closing these routes. Instead, as a way to solve the problem Khrushchev, the leader of the U.S.S.R. , asked for the building of the Berlin Wall, to keep the rest of East Berlin population inside. This wall eased the tensions in Germany, and became a focal point for Western superiority.

-Erik

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