Check pages 671-672 for assistance Bell Ringer – 11/14/07 Explain (in paragraph form) how Americans viewed the Kennedy family and the presidency of John F. Kennedy from 1960-1963 Check pages 671-672 for assistance

Crisis over Cuba Cuba is 90 miles off the coast of Florida Kennedy’s first foreign policy concern was Cuba

Fidel Castro Took control of Cuba in 1959 and openly declared himself a communist Welcomed aid ($$) from the Soviet Union Cut off British & American oil refineries 10% of Cuba’s population flees (goes into exile) – most to the U.S.

Bay of Pigs Invasion On April 17, 1961 the U.S. military trained and funded 1,300 to 1,500 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba’s Bay of Pigs 25,000 Cuban troops with Soviet tanks and jets met the exiles. Most exiles were killed or imprisoned The U.S. gave $35 million in supplies to Cuba in exchange for the surviving exiles U.S. looked foolish; Kennedy was embarassed