Source A By Alistair Cooke: Source Analysis

The Cuban government was not ideal for its people at the time, so they decided to initiate a change. Before Castro’s revolution, Cuba’s economy was highly based on tropical fruits, sugar, and tobacco. During this time, the government of Cuba mainly consisted of wealthy land-owning conservatives. Fidel Castro, a strong liberal who thought the Cuban government was corrupt, decided to bring together a band of two-hundred revolutionaries (Carey, Jr. 15). These revolutionaries attacked the Moncada Military barracks on July 26th, 1953 resulting in a failure that earned both Castro and the revolutionaries a ten-year prison sentence. Two years into his sentence, Castro was exiled to Mexico and began to plot another attempt in Mexico City. After many battles with Cuba’s National Army, Castro’s rebels were able to keep Cuba in a state of turmoil while other rebel groups were able to gain control. Through his actions, he was able to gain the support of the Cuban people who thought he was the logical choice for the new leader (Carey, Jr. 15).

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.

During the 1950’s, Cuba was on the brink of revolution. The nation, which had suffered numerous corrupt and oppressive governmental regimes, fell victim to yet another when Fulgencio Batista seized power under a military coup in March of 1952. A cry for a just Cuba, that was economically, politically, and socially free continued to echo throughout the island. In 1959, a group of radical revolutionaries, under the leadership of Fidel Castro, overthrew the Batista dictatorship and put in place the political and social structures that exist in Cuba to this day.

Louis A. Pérez Jr. is an American author who wrote this source in 2002, which was four years before the end of Castro’s rule. The journal article in its entirety was made to explore how and why the US had fear of and loathing towards Fidel Castro. In the extracts, I have selected benefits and disadvantages brought about by Castro are mentioned and explored. The source, for example, mentions how Castro nationalised US property such as sugar corporations, cattle ranches, oil refineries, utilities, mines, railroads and banks. Although it may have initially created economic problems, the nationalism of US property would have been a good thing, as it would have helped Cuba feel more independent and free and therefore benefit the nation socially by creating a sense of patriotism. In another extract pulled from the same article, the four

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 Contesting Castro, the author, Thomas Paterson, attempts to give reasons for what caused the disconnect between the United States and Cuba. He supports his reasoning by giving his readers many different accounts, quotes, and views from the people who were involved in the many different problems that led up to the severed relationship. After reading through the book, Paterson does an excellent job of explaining the sometimes-complex circumstances that led to the United States and Cuba not having a relationship.

In the article I have found that throughout the rule of Fidel Castro he has proven to be a very poor leader that turned many of his citizens away from him. During his rule in Cuba he did many controversy actions that caused Cubans to flee to America, his family to leave him, and blockades to be put on him.

Fidel Castro was the man who successfully removed Batista from his cruel dictatorship. In Castro’s early life, he went to three expensive Catholic schools. He was good at sports, and participated and led camping and climbing exhibitions. Castro fought with the other boys and teachers frequently.

On January 8th, 1959, Fidel Castro and his rebel army marched triumphantly into Havana, Cuba, having overthrown corrupt dictator Fulgencio Batista the week earlier. It was the fruition of the Cuban Revolution, and the dramatic shift in power was about to radically alter the country’s political, social and economic course forever. The positive and negative effects of the revolution on the Cuban people, however, as well as the condition of Cuba’s economy pre and post-revolution, is subject to heated debate. Castro’s iron-fisted regime was the introduction of communism into the western hemisphere, and now, over fifty years later, the Cuban Revolution continues to be one of the most controversial events of the twentieth century. Despite the criticism levelled at Fidel Castro and his communist regime, however, the Cuban Revolution was necessary in improving the quality of life for the majority of Cuban citizens. The four fundamental categories on which to assess this are healthcare, education, economy and governance. By comparing the country’s overall performance under Fulgencio Batista versus under Fidel Castro in these areas crucial to a fully-functioning nation, it can be shown that the Cuban Revolution was a necessary and positive change in Cuban society which benefitted the majority of citizens.

After analysing all of the source’s mentioned above, it is evident that all three authors have very diverse perspectives on the Cuban Revolution. Whilst it may seem to Source A’s audience that the author (Alistair Cooke) is simply trying to inform the American public of Castro’s leadership after examination, it seems as though they are trying to brainwash readers into rebelling against Castro. Thus, the Source is considered anti- Castro. Comparatively, in Source B, Herbert L. Matthews reports on an exclusive interview with Castro’s best lieutenants, Major Che Guevara to present the audience an anecdote which portrays a strong sense of patriotism, pride and authority which are all factors that present the audience with Matthews pro- Castro perspective. Additionally, Source C’s perspective is also in Castro’s favour as the Source is secondary and means that the author could see the context of the situation without being restricted by any element of bias. Meaning that, he was able to see all the events that occurred after Castro took over

In early as 1940, Celia writes about the widespread poverty in the countryside. In 1945, she writes, “if I was born to live on an island, then I 'm grateful for one thing: that the tides rearrange the borders. At least I have the illusion of change, of possibility. To be locked within boundaries plotted by priests and politicians would be the only thing more intolerable” The corruption in Cuban politics was a precursor for the revolution. It was a sign that the people wanted change, and Castro would utilize these sentiments to garner support. In 1952, Celia writes about the rise of Fulgencio Batista, and his subsequent takeover of the state as a U.S. backed dictator. She writes, “that bastard Batista stole the country from us just when it seemed things could finally change. The U.S. wants him in the palace. How else could he have pulled this off?” Celia opposes Batista and participates in marches against him, which are led by a, “young lawyer”, Fidel Castro. In 1955, she celebrates that, “the rebels have been released! Now the revolution is close enough we 'll make it stick like rice to a pot!” Four years later, the revolution would begin and Castro and his regime would continue to rule the island to this day.

On the first of January in 1959, Fidel Castro took over the presidency of Cuba, using his “guerilla army” (“Bay of Pigs Invasion”) to overthrow General Fulgencio Batista, an “American-backed president” (“Bay of Pigs Invasion”). A dishonest and tyrannical dictator, Batista was disliked by his people, yet he was a friend to the United States. He did

“This will be a pretty detested statement, no doubt. The rightists will surely forever vilipend me for this. Yet, I have not the slightest care for that. I’ll say it, and I’ll say it loud and proud. Rest In Peace, Fidel Castro! You brought forth a many of good to the people of Cuba. Aye, he may of been a dictator, but he wasn’t Hitler-bad, nor Stalin-bad. The estimates for the men he had killed were around 2,000 and 5,000, many of those dead were themselves murderers and torturers under Batista. Cubans are in some ways better off, more salubrious, more edified, and more prosperous than most other nations. Their healthcare and their education is plenarily free, most, if not, all Cubans own houses, and all utilities are frugal. Most Cubans can

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.