Nikita Khrushchev Remembers: The Rise Of Communism

The ideologies of a nation’s leader can shift the perspective of other countries and open new paths for that nation. The communist ideologies of Fidel Castro, that were uncovered after Castro’s army were able to overthrow Fulgencia Batista, had major repercussions that were all catalysts to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The communist ideologies of Castro were enough to isolate Cuba from their major trading and financial international partner, the United States. John. F Kennedy, president of the United States during Castro’s reign, ceased all trade and placed economical embargo’s on Cuba as an attempt to prevent communism spreading throughout the nation and government. The loss of this major trade partner led to engagement with other international

Because of his communist ideologies he was able to extend and begin to engage in trade talks with other major communist powers, such as the USSR/Soviet Union. The Soviet Union became major financial partners with USSR and Cuba joined ‘Comecon’ in late 1962. In Nikita Khrushchev’s book ‘Khrushchev Remembers’ he states “We had an obligation to do everything in our power to protect Cuba’s existence as a working example [to communism] to countries in Latin America. It would greatly diminish their [Marxist-Leninist] stature in the world”. This suggests that Khrushchev believed that Cuba was in danger of the United States and felt it was his responsibility to help them. However a historian reveals possible other motives for this newly formed partnership. In Walt Rostow’s book, ‘diffusion of power’, he states “Khrushchev was looking for a quick success which would enhance his political prestige and power in soviet politics, enhance his authority in the international communist movement… redress the military balance cheaply in terms of resources… and provide leverage for the resolution of the Berlin problem he had sought without success since 1958”. This statement by an economical historian highlights how the new partnership with Cuba for the Soviet Union possessed many advantages to the Soviet Union, such as more international

The USSR used their newfound relations with the Cuba as an opportunity to increase their military control and threat over the United States. In 1962 the Soviet premier, Nikita Khrushchev and Cuban president Fidel Castro reached a secret agreement that would place nuclear missiles in Cuba, within striking range of the United States. This agreement was reached due to the position of each of the countries leaders. At the time, Castro was fearful of his position at presidency, as in 1961 the Americans launched the Bay of Pigs attack as an attempt to overthrow Castro and drain the Communism he had installed into the Cuban society and government. The placement of these nuclear missiles were important for Cuba as it made Castro feel secure of his position and it was of great significance for the USSR as they now became a threat to the United States, as prior to this the US placed missiles in Turkey within striking range of the Soviet Union and Russia. The tensions rose when an American U-2 plane flew over Cuba and took photographs of the sites at which the nuclear weapons were held. The fact that the cold was was ongoing during the Cuban Missile Crisis is another separate catalyst opposing to Castro’s ideologies. During the Cuban Missile Crisis panic arose in the United States. JFK placed a military quarantine on Cuba as he states in a letter, “strict quarantine on all offensive