During the Cold War, tensions began to rise between the United States and Cuba when Fidel Castro led a revolution against Cuban President Fulgencio Batista, who was supported by the United States for his anti-Communism sentiments.

In 1960, Castro increased taxes on imported items from the United States and began trading more with the Soviet Union. President Eisenhower responded to Castro by cutting off diplomatic ties with the US and imposing a nearly full trade embargo on Cuba.

On April 17, 1961, President John F Kennedy deployed 1,400 Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro’s communist regime. Within three days, the Cuban military defeated the US forces that were sent to them. In June 1961, the arms race between the United States and the USSR was in full swing after a meeting between Kennedy and Khrushchev in Austria. Kennedy felt Khrushchev was being combative during their summit. Feeling threatened, Kennedy initiated an order to increase American intercontinental ballistic missile forces. He also added five new divisions for the army, and increased the nation’s reserves and air power. The Soviets on the other hand resumed their nuclear testing. In response, Kennedy began reactivating American nuclear tests in 1962.

In October of 1962, tensions between the US, Cuba and the USSR exploded with the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis. The crisis lasted thirteen days and many Americans feared that these days would be their last. After thirteen days of tension and negotiations on both sides, the crisis ended with an agreement from Khrushchev and Kennedy where the United States would withdraw their weapons from Turkey and the Soviet Union would withdraw their weapons from Cuba. Additionally, the United States agreed not to invade Cuba. Not long after the end of the Missile Crisis, Kennedy prohibited travel from the United States to Cuba.

Relations between the United States and Cuba from the time after the Missile Crisis until 1966. In September of the previous year, Castro gave a speech to the people of Cuba declaring that anyone who wanted to leave was free to do so. Days later, President Lyndon B. Johnson opened the borders for any Cuban who wanted to immigrate to the United States. As part of this first wave of Cuban immigration it was a way for the United States to show the world that they are taking a stance against communism and will welcome anyone escaping a communist regime. To further help the Cuban immigration process, in 1966 President Johnson signed a law that allowed Cubans who arrived in the United States to pursue a permanent residence after one year.

For more information about the Cuban Missile Crisis visit The World on the Brink.