Major Cold War Flashpoints: Cuba, Berlin, Indochina

The Cuban Missile Crisis

In 1956, a revolution led by Fidel Castro and Ernesto Guevara took place in Cuba. The rise to power of Fidel Castro caused relations between Cuba and the U.S. to deteriorate, as the new government's reforms affected American interests and companies. Cuba then turned to the USSR in search of financial support and protection.

For this reason, in October 1960, the U.S. ordered an embargo on exports to the island, and in early 1961, broke off diplomatic relations with the Cuban government. A group of Cuban exiles, supported by the CIA, made a failed attempt to invade the island. Cuba's response was to strengthen relations with the USSR, which then proceeded to install nuclear missiles on the island.

This represented a serious threat to the United States. As a result, the U.S. government decreed a naval blockade of the island in October, preventing Soviet ships from continuing to deliver missile components.

After days of enormous tension, the Soviet Union agreed to withdraw the missiles. In return, the U.S. pledged not to invade Cuba and secretly agreed to remove its missiles from Turkey. The Cuban Missile Crisis marked the culminating moment of the Cold War.

The Berlin Wall

In 1961, authorities in the communist sector decided to construct the Berlin Wall to prevent the ongoing exodus of people towards the Western sector. Despite American protests, the wall was not torn down, becoming a stark symbol of the Iron Curtain that Winston Churchill had metaphorically described.

The Indochina War

The Indochina peninsula, a French colony, had been conquered by Japan. France did not want to lose its colonies, leading to the outbreak of conflict. What began as a colonial war transformed into a Cold War conflict when communist forces received support from the USSR and China, while the Americans aided the French. The U.S. was trying to prevent the domino theory from taking hold in Asia.

The conflict ended with the French defeat in Indochina and the division into three states: Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Vietnam itself was temporarily divided into two separate areas at the 17th parallel: the North under Communist control, and the government of South Vietnam. This division was intended to be temporary, pending reunification.