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The Euphoria of the 1950s Did not Last

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During the late 1950s, the United States enjoyed a comfortable period of booming economic growth. Although the world was seemingly at peace, this state of euphoria would not last. The Cold War was brewing underneath the surface, and communism began to threaten democracy itself. These communist ideas spread throughout the world even as close to the United States as Cuba. The Bay of Pigs was a direct result of this spread of communism and had many consequences. The preparations, invasion, and aftermath of the Bay of Pigs had profound effects on both the United States and Cuba. Before the Bay of Pigs invasion began, many events took place that preceded and caused the invasion. Ever since Fidel Castro overthrew Fulgencio Batista, the former dictator of Cuba, the United States was suspicious of Cuba's seemingly communist behavior. Batista had always been pro-American and anti-communist, but Castro governed Cuba differently. Castro believed the United States had no right to have businesses in Cuba. He reduced the influence of American business in Cuba and even seized control of the American-run telephone company in Cuba. Castro also established diplomatic ties with Soviet Russia to stay in power. He accepted loans from Russia so that he could support an army and keep Cuba from an economic collapse. All of these actions caused the United Sates to distrust Castro. This distrust was amplified when Castro publicly announced that he was pro-communist in July of 1959. Because of this

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