the u.s. attempts to contain cuba

1. Why was Cuba so important to the United States?
Cuba was so important to the united states because Cuba, being a large island, had also been a American ally. Americans owned most of the businesses on the island and they had a huge naval bas also. The island now belonged to Castro and the soviet union. Castro now took over all the American businesses which caused the united states alto of money.

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 invading themselves because they thought that the Cuban exiles would know their land more than the Americans. because America knew that if they were to make a direct attack with their men against Castro, the Cubans may attack them, also they might include the soviet union. Having Cuban exiles invade they were in a way of hiding and it put them behind the scenes.

3. Why did the invasion fail?
the invasion failed because the Americans had trained 1400 Cuban exiles, while the soviet union had 200 soldiers fighting for them. Cuban exiles didn't have much air support from the u.s either, so the invasion failed or might have failed because of this.


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
Source 17 on page 345 is conveying that the united states had more of a advantage then the soviet union because they had mussels that could hit them in seconds. It was showing that the united states had more power over the soviet union in the cold war. But source 24 on page 348 tells a different story. Its saying that the soviet union started depositing missiles. The power had changed from u.s having alot to now soviets having alot The soviet unions can now easily hit almost any city in the u.s in less then 20 minutes. Now the united states had a disadvantage because the soviet Union could bomb any city in the united sates and it now would take more time for the united states to fire back.