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How Did The Fidel Castro Influence The Cuban Revolution

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Even though Fidel Castro’s well-known mutinous and seditious ascend to power impacted the 1960s, the seeds of the Cuban Revolution and his rise to authority were planted during the 1950s. Dreadful conditions in Cuba became widespread and existent during the '50s when, “Fulgencio Batista, an oppressive dictator, a leader who uses force and terror to maintain control, ruled Cuba” (“Castro, Fidel” 82-91). According to professor Marjorie Cohn, Batista came to power illegally in 1952 through a sudden and violent takeover of the Cuban government known as a “coup d'état.” Under his rule, unemployment skyrocketed, government corruption became prevalent, and Cuban citizens felt oppressed. However, even though most Cuban citizens despised him, Batista …show more content…

After all, he was a good-looking, defiant, and intelligent young lawyer interested in politics and rebellion (“Castro, Fidel” 82-91). As stated by the History.com article, “Fidel Castro,” Castro’s revolution began in July of 1953, when he led over 100 guerilla fighters to attack the Moncada army camp in Santiago. Unfortunately, the attack backfired completely, and Castro was captured and sentenced to jail for 15 years while Batista's regime killed many of his guerrillas. However, after 2 years, Castro was discharged. He fled to Mexico, where he began to plot his next revolt. Then, in 1956, “Castro and 81 other men sailed on the yacht “Granma” to the eastern coast of Cuba, where government forces immediately ambushed them. The estimated 18 survivors, including Castro, fled deep into the Sierra Maestra Mountains in southeastern Cuba with virtually no weapons or supplies” (“Fidel Castro” History). The same website article then states that in 1957, Castro met with new revolutionists critical of Batista. With these new supporters, he continued to rebel by using new and improved guerilla war tactics, and they began winning both minor and major battles against Batista’s regime. As stated by Castro himself, “We’d take out the men in the front, attack the center, and then ambush the rear when it started retreating, in the terrain we’d chosen.” With …show more content…

Despite of Castro’s main diplomatic goal to break off ties with the U.S., he did not hesitate to be supported by the Soviet Union. More specifically, the online article, “Fidel Castro Biography,” says that Cuba depended on the U.S.S.R. to help it's national defense, as well as to trade and buy oil. In addition, Cuba depended on the Soviet Union to help improve its citizens standard of living, as well as trade of firearms (“Fidel Castro”). However, relations did not remain simple forever. In 1962, Castro secretly welcomed Soviet Union tomahawk missiles on Cuban grounds, just off the coast of Florida in order to prevent another U.S. attack, and in response to U.S. nuclear missiles stationed in Turkey and Italy. These missiles were capable of dropping atomic bombs on U.S. cities, and, suddenly, the world was on the verge of nuclear war. Fortunately, after a scary 13-day confrontation between the countries, Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union, negotiated with the U.S. and removed nuclear-armed Soviet missiles from Cuba in exchange for U.S. withdrawal of its current missiles in Turkey and Italy, and to no longer attempt to overthrow Castro (“Fidel Castro”). The crisis not only impacted the 1960s era by provoking fear among people all over the world, but it also forever changed the testing of nuclear warfare in the years to come. Through its friendly yet

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