The Cuban Revolution1953-1959   By Ian Sherriff and David Ran

Overview:

● Overthrow of the Batista Regime by revolutionaries

 ● Seizure of US Businesses ● Communist-leaning reforms ● Latin American country in the "Soviet Camp"

Causes:

● Legacy and ideas of Spanish-American War ● US Imperialism in Cuba ● Poverty and Disparity of Wealth ● Corruption Under US-backed Batista regime   

Political Cartoon 1898:

Spanish-American War

● The Cuban War of Independence ● Cuba gains independence from Spain in

1898 ● 30,000 Cubans die fighting ● Cuba becomes an economic colony of the

US, no independence  

The US in Cuba

● Americans own most Cuban businesses ● American Mafia involved in illicit activities

○ gambling, prostitution, drug trafficking○ 11,500 prostitutes in Havana○ Havana becomes a "degenerate playground"

 ● Cubans starve as their resources are taken

by US businessmen

Gambling:

US Possessions in Cuba

● In 1950's American investors own approx: 

○ 90% of mines○ 40% of sugar industry○ 50% of railways○ 60% of arable land○ all oil companies

Life in Cuba

● Foreign investors and Cuban elites prosper ● Other Cubans in poverty

○ 43% illiterate○ Mean annual income is $91.25

 ● shrinking middle class ● US army guards American properties

Fulgencio Batista

● Cuban dictator, military man ● Initially a popular reformer ● Leaves office, returns through a coup d'etat

○ "lazier", more oppressive

 ● Clearly supported by the US government

Fidel Castro

● Born into a wealthy Cuban family ● Lawyer by profession ● Becomes radicalized as a university student ● Leader of Cuban revolutionaries

Attack on the Moncada Barracks

● July 26, 1953 ● Fidel Castro and 160 followers attack the

Moncada Barracks in Santiago, Cuba ● Most are captured, tortured, executed ● Fidel Castro also captured

Moncada Barracks:

Aftermath of Moncada

● Castro held on trial:○ Acts as own lawyer○ Gives a stirring defense in the speech

History Will Absolve Me○ Pardoned by Batista (overconfident)

 ● Castro's movement gains recognition ● Attack is a military failure, but political

success

The Granma

● Castro exiled, meets Argentine revolutionary Che Guevara in Mexico

 ● Creates the 26th of July Movement

○ date of the Moncada attack

● Invades Cuba with 82 men on the yacht the Granma

 

Granma (Not Grandma):

Difficulty in Cuba

● Castro's army ambushed and nearly destroyed shortly after landing

 ● A dozen men escape to Sierra Maestra

Mountains ● Guerrilla warfare is conducted ● Ranks later filled by peasants 

Falling Action

● Batista is hated by the Cubans ● Batista attempts to stifle uprising with

brutality ● Castro gains widespread peasant support ● US redacts support to Batista

○ Aid to the Cuban military is cut.

 

Operacion Verano

● Batista sends 12,000 troops to Sierra Maestra Mountains○ Poorly trained and poorly led○ Aims to defeat the few hundred rebels

● Rebel army more motivated, better led ● Operación Verano fails ● Rebels pursue retreating army

Batista Flees

● Rebels capture Santiago and Santa Clara● Batista flees to Portugal & Spain (F. Franco)

○ Esconds with vast sums of money● Rebels enter Havana on New Year's Day

1959

Immediate Aftermath

● New government composed of different anti-Batista parties

 ● Castro lacks power to independently rule

Cuba○ Yet holds most power in the government○ Has support of the peasants

● Castro moves towards complete domination of government

Castro's Direction

● Castro denies being a communist ● Plans to pursue neither capitalism nor

communism ● US and Cuba hostile (US backed Batista) ● Cuba looks to the USSR

US Alarm

● Cuba leads to communism and dictatorship under Castro

 ● Cuba has formal relations with USSR ● Castro nationalizes all US property in Cuba

○ US puts trade embargo on Cuba○ USSR buys Cuban sugar

● Many Cubans leave country

Cubans Flee:

Bay of Pigs Invasion

● CIA trains Cuban emigres to invade Cuba and spark an uprising against Castro

 ● Most are captured; no uprising occurs ● Embarrassment for Kennedy Administration● Castro grows yet more popular ● US-Cuba relations further strained

Bay of Pigs:

Missile Crisis

● Soviets place nuclear missiles in Cuba ● Kennedy demands that the Soviets remove

the missiles ● Cuba acts as a pawn for US-Soviet hostility

Political Cartoon:

Life in Cuba

● Literacy and health care improves ● Gambling and prostitution lessened ● Loss of democracy and rights ● Dependency on the USSR 

Photo Credits (in order):http://etc.usf.edu/clipart/72200/72288/72288_pr_flag_col_lg.gifhttp://unitedstatesimperialism.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/300px-10kmiles3.jpg?w=477http://sylverblaque.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/1950s-cuba-casino.jpg?w=300&h=219http://test.roundearthmedia.org/wp-content/uploads/2001/07/cuba2.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ujXB-ghAdUY/T2yco3FTSmI/AAAAAAAAAK0/YIfWiF0B85s/s1600/book-pile.jpghttp://www.nndb.com/people/118/000023049/fidel-castro-sm.jpghttp://www.workers.org/2007/world/Moncada_barracks.jpghttp://www.cubagob.cu/otras_info/historia/imagenes/hf39.jpghttp://affordablehousinginstitute.org/blogs/us/wp-content/uploads/havana_1959_01.jpghttp://cubanology.com/cubareport/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/CubanrefugeesLifeMag.jpghttp://www.photographytips.com.au/images/bay-of-pigs-cuba-usa-war-photos1.jpghttps://brookwoodhistory.wikispaces.com/file/view/cuban_missile_crisis_cartoon.gif/33950893/cuban_missile_crisis_cartoon.gifhttp://www.trinity.edu/jdunn/images/Castro/castro.jpg