Despite the glamorous veneer publicized to foreign tourists, Cuban society was plagued by a complex web of unjust conditions, highly influenced by the past century of colonial control. In 1959, Fidel Castro finally pushed it over the edge and led the Cuban Revolution to overthrow Fulgencio Batista. While it later became known as a socialist revolution, it is important to remember that it began in a large part as fundamentally nationalist. Understanding nationalism as a cause of the revolution allows one to consider the conditions that gave rise to that nationalism. The conditions that Castro utilized to build support ranged largely from economic to political, all helping to create an atmosphere of unrest and anger. Behind each of these conditions lies American interference and involvement in Cuba.
Economically, U.S. involvement in Cuba largely began with the 1903 Platt Amendment added to Cuba’s Constitution after the U.S. became a part of Cuba’s War of Independence from Spain. The amendment allowed for unilateral intervention in Cuba as well as providing a foothold through which American banks and companies could become invested in the country. By the mid-1950s, a significant portion of the Cuban economy became U.S.-owned, including 90% of telephone and electrical services and 40% of all sugar production (Brenner, 2015,5). In addition, a tourist industry developed in Havana, run by people who were not only Americans but often American mobsters. Through the addition of these
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.
Cuban history, like many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean which have experienced colonial subjugation and imperial interference, is highlighted by tumultuous rebellions. Ever since the revolt of Carlos Manuel de Cespedes in 1868, who took up arms with his slaves to liberate Cuba from Spain’s colonial grasp, the existence of insurrectionists and adamant government opposition in Cuba has flourished. Social revolution and a strong will and practice of nationalism has indelibly characterized Cuban history. Nevertheless, the outcomes of particular movements and struggles for social justice have consistently frustrated revolutionary and radical leaders. Government regimes throughout
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
The United States victory against Spain over the Spanish colony of Cuba gave the United States more power over Latin America than ever before. As a result, the United States began a military occupation of the newly “independent” of Cuba after leading them to believe that they would obtain true independence to govern their own affairs. The premise of this occupation was to “govern the Cubans until they can govern themselves”. This idea didn’t have a time table and would allow the U.S. the stay longer than anticipated. Over the next couple of years Cubans began to get restless and sensing this United States wanted devise an exit strategy from Cuba. This led to the creation of the Platt Amendment
After it became officially globally acknowledged that Cuba was in fact a communist state and was being led through a dictatorship run by Castro, it did not take long before powerful enemies and essential allies were formed. The act of seizing all foreign land with none or very little compensation was received with great hostility amongst those who lost in their property through this process, and probably the reaction that had the biggest impact on Cuba’s economy was that of the US. Castro’s communistic policies did not of course help calm this resentment and also took part in leading to the establishment of trade embargos with Cuba from the US. This meant that Cuba would now lose a very valuable buyer of their precious sugar, [5] but they did however gain another one, a powerful nation that shared quite similar Marxist ideals and were quick to form an alliance with the Cubans, the USSR.
In the 1950s Cuba had a Revolution. There was many causes of the Cuban Revolution. The Cuban revolution lasted 6 years from 1953 through 1959, “included president Fulgencio Batista's dictatorship, brutal suppression and poverty. These factors led to a revolution led by Fidel Castro to overthrow Batista and his government”. This is why this all started. This relates to the book because in the book Sonia’s parents die because of this revolution and its affecting her life because she doesn't want to let her kid go to war in Afghanistan. She lived in Cuba and she moved to the U.S because of the revolution and because her parents died in a revolution she doesn't want to lose her son just like she did with her parents. One of the reasons why Melinda
The Spanish-American war consisted of a series of influential battles that pitted America and many of Spain’s colonies against Spanish rule, and ended with Spain losing its colonies and America gaining control over more and more land. In 1898, America joined a war being pit against Spain to force the Spanish to relinquish all control of their colonies, including Guam, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. This same war ended only a few months later, with Spain suffering huge losses and America gaining money and territories. The Spanish American war could be split into three main points of interest: How and why the Spanish American war started, The battles of Manila, Santiago de Cuba, Asomante, and Las Guasimas ( And the Rough Riders) , and the aftermath of the war. One of the most interesting territories was Cuba. Although the Spanish american war was not a long and costly war, it changed many people's lives indefinitely.
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.
The Cuban Revolution, which began in the early 1950’s, was an overthrow of a very corrupt government. It was an attempt to improve the conditions of the Cuban people, but the path was covered in blood and sweat and an informed historian has to ask, was it really worth it? How much actually changed?
The Platt Amendment of 1901, gave permission to the United States to intervene in Cuban affairs if necessary and to rent land to the United States for naval bases on the island. Cuba had a strong relationship with the United States, but then the Cuban Revolution came and everything changed. On Jan. 1, 1959 Fidel Castro accompanied by guerrillas overthrew the government of President General Fulgencio Batista. The US supported Castro and his group by providing them with arms. During this period, the Castro government was very efficient which worried the American government, since Castro could turn against it. That's why in 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the CIA to attack Cuba. In April 1961, thousands of armed Americans disembarked
The Spanish-American War was fought mainly for economic reasons. The United States' primary motivation for entering the war was “purely economic” (Spanish-American War). The United States had a vested interest in Cuba – almost fifty million dollars invested in the island nation. Additionally, America had a sound trade history with Cuba: trading more with the Spanish colony than its motherland (Cuba). The rotting Spanish Empire provided a hindrance to American business interests. Tariffs and trade fees were especially troublesome to American businessmen. After the war, America had successfully the profitability of their investments. This was done through the Platt Amendment. This amendment had essentially dictated Cuba's economic policy: allowing Americans to check Cuban national debt and foreign treaties (Platt Amendment).
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.
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.
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.