May 20th

On this day - May 20th 1902 - Cuba gained its independence from the USA

Cuba was under Spanish rule until 1898 when it was given to the US after the Spanish-American War. In 1901 was the Platt Amendment signed, which stipulated Cuban independence under certain set rules and it established the american dominance over the island. It was also under this agreement that the USA least Guantanamo bay from Cuba. On May 20th 1902 was the Cuban constitution adapted and Cuba became an independence, but US dominated country, as the Republic of Cuba. The US dominance lasted until the Cuban revolution in 1959.

April 17th

On this day - April 17th 1961 - The Bay of Pigs invasion 

The Bay of Pigs invasion was a failed military invasion undertaken by the CSI / the US on Cuba. The aim of the invasion as to overthrow the communist regime of Fidel Castro. Castro had gained power when the US friendly dictator Batista had been overthrown in the Cuban revolution between 1952 to 1959. Due to secret intelligens knew the government in Cuba that the invasion was coming. The invasion was defeated after three days by the Cuban revolutionary army. 4 american airmen was killed, together with 6 Cuban airmen and 10 Cuban exiles.  The invasion contributed to a closer relationship between Castro and the Soviet Union, which again contributed to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

October 28th

On this day - 28th October 1962 - Ended the Cuban Missile Crises 

The cuban missile crises lasted from the 16th to the 28th of October and was one of the most intense issues during the cold war. It was the closest the cold war came to become a warm, and potential nuclear, conflict. The reason for the conflict was the Soviet Unions deployment of ballistic missiles on Cuba after US failed "Bay of Pigs Invasion" of Cuba. After this followed a series of minor conflicts, including the US dropping of "Depth Charges" on a nuclear armed Soviet submarine and a military blockage by the US. On the 28th was finally an agreement between Kennedy and Khrushchev reached and agreed on by both sides.
The Soviet Union agreed to dismantle their offensive weapons on Cuba in exchange for an U.S official declaration to never invade Cuba without direct provocation. The US also agreed, in secretly, to dismantle U.S built Jupiter missiles in Turkey and Italy. As a result of the conflict was a hotline between Moscow and Washington established. The conflict became an embarrassment for Khrushchev, who fell from power only two years later.

J.F. Kennedy signing the proclamation authorizing the naval quarantine of Cuba