Background: The Bay of Pigs and Operation Mongoose

About the lecture

In this module, we think about the background to the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962, focusing in particular: (i) John F. Kennedy’s comments on Communism during the 1960 presidential election; (ii) the disastrous Bay of Pigs Invasion; (iii) the various activities aimed at destabilising the Castro regime as part of ‘Operation Mongoose’; and (iv) Kennedy’s huge military build-up in the early years of his presidency.

About the lecturer

Mark White is Professor of History at Queen Mary, University of London, specialising in US foreign policy in the Cold War and the US presidency since 1945. His recent publications include Against the President: Dissent and Decision-Making in the White House (2007) and The Presidency of Bill Clinton: The Legacy of a New Domestic and Foreign Policy (2012)