Cuba
The Cuban Revolution
Fulgencio Batista lead an authoritarian regime in Cuba in 1934. A strong opposition to Batista's government developed which was led by Fidel Castro. He exposed Marxism to Cuba which opened the doors for future movements to take place. Castro aimed to gain support from peasants and industrial workers by promising to bring radical change. Ernesto Guevera assisted Castro and their initial attempts proved to do nothing. After the failed attempt, they tried more forceful tactics such as Guerrilla warfare: a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants such as armed civilians or irregulars use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, and raids. As Castro continued his opposition, Batista's regime turned to brutality and attacked its own supporters. In January 1959, Castro's revolution became a success after Batista fled the country in December of 1958. Castro created a new government while Cuban relations with the United States declined. Castro created a farm reform law which nationalized all land holdings over 1,000 acres. In 1960, the Soviet Union bought sugar from Cuba and provided 100 million dollars in credits. After the Soviets got involved with Cuba, the U.S. cancelled all trading with Cuba in fear of an alliance between Cuba and the Soviet Union. President Eisenhower directed the CIA to train cubans for a future attack on the Soviet Union in Cuba. In April of 1961, the Anti-Castro U.S. soldiers invaded Cuba (the Bay of Pigs). Castro's forces defeated the U.S., it was humiliating for the United States to lose to them.
Fulgencio Batista lead an authoritarian regime in Cuba in 1934. A strong opposition to Batista's government developed which was led by Fidel Castro. He exposed Marxism to Cuba which opened the doors for future movements to take place. Castro aimed to gain support from peasants and industrial workers by promising to bring radical change. Ernesto Guevera assisted Castro and their initial attempts proved to do nothing. After the failed attempt, they tried more forceful tactics such as Guerrilla warfare: a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants such as armed civilians or irregulars use military tactics including ambushes, sabotage, and raids. As Castro continued his opposition, Batista's regime turned to brutality and attacked its own supporters. In January 1959, Castro's revolution became a success after Batista fled the country in December of 1958. Castro created a new government while Cuban relations with the United States declined. Castro created a farm reform law which nationalized all land holdings over 1,000 acres. In 1960, the Soviet Union bought sugar from Cuba and provided 100 million dollars in credits. After the Soviets got involved with Cuba, the U.S. cancelled all trading with Cuba in fear of an alliance between Cuba and the Soviet Union. President Eisenhower directed the CIA to train cubans for a future attack on the Soviet Union in Cuba. In April of 1961, the Anti-Castro U.S. soldiers invaded Cuba (the Bay of Pigs). Castro's forces defeated the U.S., it was humiliating for the United States to lose to them.
The Cuban Missile Crisis
After the U.S. lost the Bay of Pigs invasion, it convinced the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, that the United States would not resist Soviet exploration in Los Angeles. In July of 1962 Khrushchev secretly began building forty two missile sites in Cuba. An American spy plane later discovered the missile sights. President Kennedy said that the missile sights were too close to the United States and considered them a threat. He demanded the removal of the sights and created a naval blockade to prevent more missiles to be sent in Cuba. Fidel Castro did not like how his country was being used in the middle of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. People around the world feared that a nuclear war was near. In the end, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in return for the U.S. agreement to not invade Cuba. This left Castro dependent on the Soviet Union's support. Castro backed up Communist movements in Latin America and Africa to gain support from Khrushchev. The Soviet Aid to Cuba ended when the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. This made the Cuban economy suffer drastically and Castro refused to reform and give up his power.
After the U.S. lost the Bay of Pigs invasion, it convinced the Soviet leader, Nikita Khrushchev, that the United States would not resist Soviet exploration in Los Angeles. In July of 1962 Khrushchev secretly began building forty two missile sites in Cuba. An American spy plane later discovered the missile sights. President Kennedy said that the missile sights were too close to the United States and considered them a threat. He demanded the removal of the sights and created a naval blockade to prevent more missiles to be sent in Cuba. Fidel Castro did not like how his country was being used in the middle of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States. People around the world feared that a nuclear war was near. In the end, Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in return for the U.S. agreement to not invade Cuba. This left Castro dependent on the Soviet Union's support. Castro backed up Communist movements in Latin America and Africa to gain support from Khrushchev. The Soviet Aid to Cuba ended when the Soviet Union broke apart in 1991. This made the Cuban economy suffer drastically and Castro refused to reform and give up his power.