The Cuban Revolution

Early Years With Spain

The Spanish began setting up permanent settlements on the island of Cuba just shortly after Christopher Columbus arrived in the Caribbean Islands in 1492. Within 20 years the Spanish, or the diseases they brought with them, had destroyed or run off nearly all the Native Cubans. The Spanish learned from the few remaining Cubans how to grow tobacco and make cigars as well as how to plant and harvest sugar cane. These crops quickly became the chief products of Cuba and were highly prized back in Europe.

Independence From Spain Cuba remained a colony of Spain until 1898 when, with the help of America, they were finally able to gain their independence and begin to set up their own republican government. By the early 1900’s many wealthy Americans owned tobacco plantations and sugar mills in Cuba. They began buying hotels and casinos and established Cuba as a vacation getaway for tourists from all over the world. (Think Los Vegas) In May of 1902, Cuba elected its first president and established a Senate and House of Representatives. In gratitude for their support in winning independence from Spain, the new government allowed the American military to build a naval base in Guantanamo Bay to protect American interests on the island.

On the Verge of Revolution

The 1952 Cuban elections were scheduled for June. Running as a candidate for the House of Representatives was a wealthy sugar cane farmer, Fidel Castro. Running for president was Fulgencia Batista y Zaldivar, known as Batista, and a former president who had ruled Cuba from 1933- 1944 and who now wanted to come out of retirement.

Batista

Castro

Realizing that his chances of winning the presidency were slim, Batista gathered some of his army buddies and staged a military coup, or takeover. On March 11, 1952, Batista proclaimed himself prime minister of Cuba. Soon after he promoted himself to general and ruled Cuba as a dictator until 1958.

Question: What form of government would this most likely have been?

Pick me! Pick me!

Castro to the rescue . . . or not!

Fidel Castro, the wealthy sugar cane planter, decided to take matters into his own hands. In 1953, leading 160 men, Castro attacked an army barracks in Santiago, Cuba. The attack failed and nearly half of Castro’s men were killed. Castro was captured, but before being sentenced to fifteen years in prison, he defended himself saying . . . “History will absolve me.” Question: What do you think he meant by that?

Well, maybe . . . History may not have absolved him, but oddly enough Batista did and let him out of prison after only two years. BAD mistake for Batista! Castro immediately began plotting another military coup to overthrow Batista’s government. Once again he failed, but he managed to escape into the mountains. From there Castro gathered followers and launched guerilla style warfare against the Cuban government.

Revolution!

For the next three years Castro gained strength and followers until his military tactics finally caused Batista and his family to flee the country. On January 8, 1959, Castro marched into the capital city of Havana and soon after declared himself the new prime minister of Cuba.

At First . . . Most of the world cheered Castro for overthrowing the dictator Batista. Castro promised to bring back free elections and a free press. He also promised that private businesses would be respected and he would work to gain foreign investors in Cuba to improve the economy and bring more jobs.

The Beginning of the End However, less than three months after taking office, Castro signed a law taking away all sugar cane farms and cattle ranches that were owned by Americans and other foreigners. He banned all gambling on the island and closed down or destroyed all the casinos and restaurants owned by Americans. He took over the telephone and utility services, also once owned by American companies and put them under government control. Question: How do you think the U.S. Government reacted to this news?

Adding Insult to Injury Castro even went so far as to sign a trade agreement with American’s arch enemy at that time - - the Soviet Union - - and to declare himself a Communist. He seemed intent on exporting Communism to other Latin American countries. So President Dwight Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba and imposed a trade embargo on Cuba.

Flag of Cuba

Cuban Missile Crisis In October of 1962, President John F. Kennedy learned that Castro had allowed the Soviet Union to install ballistic missiles in Cuba. These missiles carried nuclear warheads and could easily reach the U.S. So the U.S. Navy sent warships and submarines to form a blockade around the island of Cuba.

War With Soviet Union? For awhile it appeared as though the U.S. and the Soviet Union might go to war. But through negotiations, it was decided that the U.S. would end the navel block of Cuba and the Soviet Union would remove the ballistic missiles from Cuba. The incident became known the Cuban Missile Crisis.

What now for Cuba? Though the U.S. ended the blockade, it continued to impose trade embargos against Cuba which depended upon the Soviet Union for economic support. When the Soviet Union dissolved, Cuba was left as one of the very few remaining Communist countries. For awhile, Castro tried to support Communist revolutions in other Latin American countries, but was unsuccessful due in part U.S. interventions.

After All These Years. . .

Free elections and free press are still not allowed in Cuba today. Castro continued as the dictator until poor health in 2006 forced him to give control of the government over to his brother Raul. The people of Cuba, had no say in the matter. Education, on the other hand, remains free for all Cubans, and so is health care, which is among the best in the world. But the citizens have no real freedom and their lives are characterized by despair and poverty.

Cuban Revolution Questions Coach Book Lesson 9 - pp. 66-68

1. Who did Cuba win their independence from and when?2. What dictated Cuban politics after its independence and who played an important role in Cuba after it gained independence? 3. Why didn’t the 1952 presidential elections in Cuba take place? Who came to power as a dictator?4. Why was Fidel Castro thrown in jail in 1953 and what did he do after his release?5. Why did Batista and his family flee to the Dominican Republic on Jan. 1, 1959?6. What did Castro promise when he proclaimed himself the new prime minister?7. Who did Castro sign a trade deal with and what did President Eisenhower do as a result?8. In exchange for the U.S. ending the blockade of Cuba and removing ballistic missiles from Turkey, what did the Soviet Union do?

Answers

1. Spain on December 10, 18982. wealth generated by sugar production - the U.S.3. Batista staged a coup – Batista 4. he led an attack – he went to Mexico & began plotting5. he was afraid of Castro6. bring back free elections and a free press7. Soviet Union – set trade embargo8. remove missiles