Cold War in Latin America

Reorder the following events in order of their occurrence.

• Cuba gains its independence

• Cuban Missile Crisis

• The Bay of Pigs Invasion

• Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution

Answer explanation

Cuba gained its independence in 1902. Castro led a revolution and took power in 1956. The Bay of Pigs Invasion, which attempted to overthrow Castro occurred in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred the following year.

These were the Communist rebels that overthrew Anastasio Somoza Debayle in Nicaragua in 1979:

• The Contras

• The Sandinistas

The Contras were a counterrevolutionary force in Nicaragua that wanted to overthrow the Sandinistas. They were controversial because of the tactics they used to achieve their goals. The United States secretly gave financial aid to the Contras in a political scandal known as:

• Watergate

• The XYZ Affair

• The Iran-Contra Affair

• Teapot Dome

Where did anti-communist Cold War strategies hinder democracy the most?

• Asia

• Africa

• Europe

• Latin America

Which of the following explains JFK's feelings toward containment and communism?

• He supported Cuba's communist regime

• He was deeply apologetic about the toll the Cold War took on the American people

• He wanted to educate the American people on the foundations of communism

• He defended the US' policy of containment and the importance of preventing the spread of communism

In the end, what happened in Guatemala?

• The United Fruit Company's owner became the president of Guatemala.

• The CIA tried to lead a coup, but it failed and Guatemala continued its democracy.

• The president of Guatemala forced the United Fruit Company to leave the country.

• The CIA led a coup and installed a military junta in Guatemala.

How was the fighting between the Sandinistas and Contras in Nicaragua a result of the Cold War?

• The Sandinistas and Contras were both trying to develop hydrogen bombs.

• The Soviet Union angered the Sandinistas by placing missiles in Nicaragua.

• The United States sent aid to the Contras to fight the communist Sandinistas.

• The UN voted to make an alliance between the Contras and Sandinistas.

Which Latin American country was the primary focus of the United States' anti-communist efforts during the Cold War?

• Brazil

• Cuba

• Argentina

• Chile

What was the main objective of the United States' involvement in Latin America during the Cold War?

• To promote democracy

• To spread communism

• To contain communism

• To establish trade agreements

Which event marked the height of Cold War tensions in Latin America?

• The Cuban Missile Crisis

• The Bay of Pigs Invasion

• The overthrow of Salvador Allende

• The Nicaraguan Revolution