Thomas Hughes
(Candidate Number: 006362 – 0036)

How did Fidel Castro affect the relations between both the USA and the USSR?

IB History
Internal Assessment

Centre Number: 6362

Doha British School

Plan of Investigation
Summary of Evidence
Evaluation of Source
Analysis
Conclusion

Contents
A. Plan of Investigation 2
B. Summary of Evidence 3
C. Evaluation of Sources 5
Section D: Analysis 7
Section E: Conclusion 8
Bibliography (Written Sources) 9
Bibliography (Non-Written sources) 9

A. Plan of Investigation

This study will seek to answer the question of how Fidel Castro affected the relations between the US and the USSR during the Cuban Missile Crisis. I chose this question because I’ve always had a passion for learning about the Cold War, especially the Cuban perspective of the whole situation. With this in mind, this is why I found the topic relevant, as the whole incident has been a standing point in time representing the effects of unstable relations in times of nuclear crisis. In order to answer …show more content…
Summary of Evidence

When talking about the Cuban Missile Crisis, I will mention the chronological order of the event, starting with Castro’s gain of power, Soviet interest in Cuba, the Bay of Pigs, the flee of Middle-Class Cubans, and finally the Soviet warheads being placed and the American reaction.
Prior to the Cuban-Missile Crisis, “when Fidel Castro came to power in 1959, relations between the two countries (Soviet Union and America) quickly devolved into bitter arguments, political grandstanding and the occasional international crisis.” (Claire Suddath, 2009) The previous leader, President Batista, had been overthrown by Castro and his men, and after this new privatized land, relations began to deteriorate between the countries. “Castro expanded trade with the Soviet Union instead. The U.S. responded by cutting all diplomatic ties, and the two countries have been talking through Switzerland ever since.” (Claire Suddath,