Fidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution Of Cuba

The Cuban Revolution was touchy topic for the United States and Cuba. America’s alienation of Cuba didn’t help when communism from the USSR was brewing over the revolution. When the revolution gained Castro as its leader, the worry and hatred from the United States was unbearable, especially when the Soviet Union landed in Cuba to interest Castro in its aid. The US’s fear of communism, Fidel Castro, and aid from the Soviet Union was significant because it changed the US’s political role in Cuba during the Cuban Revolution.

Cuba “held an economical potential that attracted American business interests and a strategic significance for any Central American canal” (Goldfield, Abbott and Anderson, p 638). Cuban rebellion “erupted again in 1895 in a classic guerrilla war… [and] American economic interests were seriously affected” (book pg638). The Spaniards started confining the locals to concentration camps “where tens of thousands died of starvation and disease” (book pg 638). This gained a lot of publicity throughout America as journalist’s were reporting the harsh treatment, which helped persuade our nation to intervene. Furthermore, this led to growing tension between Spain and

One of the first areas in Latin America to be affected by the Cuban Revolution was the small Central American country of Nicaragua. Cuba prior to the Cuban Revolution, was under a dictator and many people lived in poverty, and in the 1960s Nicaragua was faced with same problem. The fact that Cuba was successful in their revolution, inspired the Nicaraguan Revolution. Nicaragua like Cuba had undergone major economical expansions, but these expansions only benefited a small portion of the population. According to John A., Booth, Wade, Christine

In the 1950’s, tourists visited the island of Cuba for its warm beaches, culture and Spanish colonial architecture. But underneath the surface, was a revolution ready to burst through the Cuban people they just needed the right person to lead them. Cuba at this time was run by a Political Dictator named Fulgencio Batista.

However, the revolution, led by Fidel Castro, brought hope for those who supported the fight against the repressive government in the island, but it also brought a red signal of danger and fear of Cold War to other countries in America, especially for United States. Even though the revolutionary Fidel Castro was friend with the Soviet Union, Cuba never played a big role outside of the island. Nevertheless, United State anti-communism policy encouraged a violent anti-revolutionary reaction that spreader all over Latin America in the 60’s and 70’s.

Americans wanted to have economic relations with Cuba, which is another reason why they didn’t want Spain having control over them any longer. Through the years 1868 to 1878, Cuba fought for independence from Spain, it was an ongoing struggle that still had not been resolved. That war was concluded with a treaty that was never even enforced, Spain still would not let Cuba have independence. The Cuban Revolutionary Party was established on January 5, 1892 in the United States to again try and gain independence for Cuba. The party was first in New York City and Philadelphia, and then spread to Tampa and Key West in Florida. The Philippines were beginning to become weary of the Spanish rule as well and they wanted changes in their government. The Philippine’s wanted to be peaceful, however, after José Rizal’s arrest, they believed problems would only be solved by

Cuban Americans had a vigorous role in redefining the American Political scene. Most of the Cubans are against Fidel Castro’s Communist government. So any movements or policies that are against his government are supported highly amongst the Cuban American communities. Also any Cuban-related policies within the legislation of the United States are significantly influenced by Cuban Americans (Roots of, 2008).

The Cuban revolution had great domestic and international influences and reshaped Cuba’s relationship with the world, especially with United States, which continues an embargo against Cuba as of this very day. Immediately after the revolution, Cuban government started a program of nationalization and political consolidation, which ultimately transformed Cuba’s economy and society.

US foreign policy in Latin America is greatly influenced by its interactions with Cuba during the late fifties. With the efforts of Fidel and Raul Castro, and other Marxist revolutionaries such as Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos, the corrupt and tyrannical caudillo

With Pinochet’s rejection of communist thinking he was able to obtain the backing of the United States which was a key difference in his ability to come to power in his country. This in comparison with Castro and the hard hand that the United States used to try to make crush Castro’s reign in Cuba. The United States was not happy that Chile had elected a well-known socialist into presidency and

The Cuban revolution was the spark that ignited the flame of communism in Cuba. The developing nation gained independence only as recently as 1898, and was already filled with an atmosphere of distrust and resentment towards the United States. In July of 1953, a revolution began in Cuba between the United States backed President Batista and Fidel Castro. Fidel and his brother Raul Castro lead a series of guerilla warfare battles against the forces of President Batista. “I am Fidel Castro and we have come to liberate Cuba,” stated Fidel Castro. In January of 1959, Fidel Castro became the President of Cuba. With the regime of Fidel Castro, Cuba would fall to communism.

Fidel Castro was welcomed by many Cubans in 1959 overthrow of the dictatorial President Fulgencio Batista, but made many Americans nervous. Fulgencio was pro-American and was an ally with many companies in the U.S. He was also against communism, unlike Fidel. Sugar plantation in Cuba was taken over and owned by American corporations and many successful individuals, as well as its mines, cattle ranches and utilities. Fidel opposed the approach that Americans took to their business and interests in Cuba. The time had come for the Cubans to take more control of their own country and properties. Fidel replaced the Cuban system from capitalism to communism, this is when transformation started taking place. He promised his people to give them back their rights, and free them from the U.S. The US was against Cuba since Castro was a communist, all they knew was that communism was bad. They have this image that communists are people who have beards, dress weirdly and are bad so we should stop them. This was an example of what schematic reasoning might lead to. They did not get to know Castro although he wasn’t that bad, all what he wanted to do was

Castro’s involvement with the foreign and domestic politics during the early Cold War period greatly influenced the outcome of the Cuban Revolution. Without the actions taken by foreign powers like the United States and Russia, some events on the domestic front may have had very different results. It is important to understand how every nation’s foreign policies can influence more than just one other nation, and this was especially true for Cuba. It was this mix and chain of events which produced the communist Cuba that we are familiar with today.

In 1940 to 1944, communist Fulgencio Batista withheld power as the president of Cuba and then from 1952 to 1959, United States backed dictator until fleeing Cuba because of Fidel Castro’s 26th of July Movement. Socialist Fidel Castro governed the Republic of Cuba as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as President from 1976 to 2008. Fidel Castro’s intent was to provide Cuba with an honest democratic government by diminishing the corrupt way in which the country was run, the large role the United States played in the running of Cuba as well as the poor treatment & the living conditions of the lower class.

I decided to write this research paper because we were assigned to find an issue or subject within Latin America to write about. One of the most widely known and influential revolutionary figure in the history of Latin America is Ché Guevara. Ché knew how to use his intelligence and judgment in all the circumstances he encountered taking advantage of each moment as if it was a highly intensive chess game he was sincerely