If We Knew Then What We Know Now

Cuban Student Group

Directions:

Your group represents a group of intelligence analysts assigned to read and interpret intelligence regarding American activity. President Castro has assigned you the responsibility to read each piece of intelligence, analyze the documents, and prepare a policy briefing which outlines what steps he, as president, should take next.

Handouts

• Document Analysis Worksheet
• Assessment Guide for Written Policy Briefing

(one for each student)

JOB 1:

Consult the following documents to develop a sense of America's intentions and fill out a Document Analysis Worksheet for each document:

cuban-exile.com/doc_151-175/doc0166.htm [highly suspicious explosion of La Coubre in March of 1960]

www.marxists.org/archive/guevara/1961/08/08.htm [Che Guevara summarizes how he feels America has done injury to Cuba and its revolutionary movement.]

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a href="http://playagiron.org/docs/guevara/method.php">playagiron.org/docs/guevara/method.php [Che Guevara sees guerilla action as a way of spreading communism in Latin America.]

www.granma.cu/playagiron/sumario/imagenes.html [images of Bay of Pigs invasion, during and after — “Playa Girón” in Spanish]

JOB 2:

After you have read the documents, discuss this question with your group:

• Given the fact that the United States actively supported the Batista regime that Castro replaced and that the United States officially opposes the spread of communism, to what degree does the United States threaten Cuba? Assign a score to each of the following three options. A score of one indicates top priority, meaning Cuban efforts should work first and foremost toward this goal.
• The United States is an imminent threat to Cuba: Cuba should prepare for a likely U.S. military invasion and do whatever necessary to deter or resist it.
• The United States is NOT a threat to Cuba: Castro should try to restore peaceful diplomatic relations with the United States.
• The United States is not an immediate threat Cuba, but is dangerous to the interests of Castro's revolution just the same: Cuba should actively support communist revolutions in other parts of Latin America in an effort to build allies.

JOB 3:

As you consult the documents available for your group you will begin to develop a position concerning the action Cuba should take in relation to the United States. Create a one-page briefing to Castro which does the following:

• summarizes your findings
• predicts America's next move
• recommends a specific action
• justifies the action you recommend

JOB 4:

Prepare to present your briefing to the class.