➔ Ch. 3: Cuban Revolution --------------- Students investigate: ● the historical context, including: – political, economic and social conditions in Cuba under President Batista – causes of the revolution in Cuba ● the nature of the Cuban Revolution, including: – the course of the revolution – the creation of the communist state – ideology of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, and their influence across Latin America – nature of guerrilla warfare and the activities of revolutionaries – aftermath of the revolution – international reactions and foreign policy, including relations with the USA ● a relevant historical debate or issue, for example: – the legacy of the Cuban Revolution Notable People: - - - Fidel Castro: student leader who opposed the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. In july 1963 he led an unsuccessful attack on an army post in Santiago de Cuba, and was imprisoned. Once released on amnesty, he went to Mexico to organise the July 26 movement. In 1956 he returned to Cuba, landing with a small group of rebels. Castro and 11 others including Raul Castro and Che Guevarra survived an initial attack and lived off the Sierra Maestra Mountains on a Guerilla campaign, eventually toppling the Batista regime on January 1st, 1959. Castro proved to be a charismatic but sometimes ruthless and pragmatic leader. Che Guevara: A professional revolutionary in the 1950s, participating in revolutions across South America and was convinced that revolution was the only way to change social inequality. Going to Argentina and Guatemala to join anti-government campaigns. Guevara would later meet Castro and other Cuban rebels in Mexico in 1956. Guevara became a key leader in the July 26 Movement, planning Guerilla attacks. He was a minister in the Castro administration from 1961-65. He was a staunch opponent of American influence in the Third world, and influenced Castro towards a pro-communist path. Guevara believed Cuba should encourage other revolutionary movements in other countries. He left Cuba in 1965 and became a Guerilla fighter in the Congo and Bolivia, later being killed by the Bolivian army. Fulgencio Batista: Batista took over the Cuban Government in September 1933 as part of the “sergeants revolt” which overthrew the liberal government of Gerardo Machado. This marked the beginning of the army’s and Batista’s influence on the Cuban government. Batista was the chief of staff of the armed forces in addition to running the country, appointing the presidents. The US saw him as a stabilizing force in Cuba with respect for their interests. Between 1940 and 1944 Batista was the President of Cuba, increasing trade relations with the US. in 1952, Batista took over the government once more in a military coup, taking place three months before an election he was expected to lose. His new government was recognised by the US Government, growing trade relations with them. He banned the communist party in the same year. Following this, Batista declared that the Cuban constitution would be temporarily suspended as well as the right to strike. Batista would later flee Cuba after the fledgling campaign against the July 26 movement, losing support from the US. Cuban Revolution Key Concepts: Imperialism: - The US controlled the Cuban economy through its domination of the Cuban sugar industry. The Cuban economy was dependent upon the United States buying their sugar. - The Platt Amendment meant that the United States also had control over Cuban politics. - After 1962, Cuba became dependent on the Soviet Union to buy their sugar. - The Soviet Union planned to use Cuba as a strategic base for missiles and had influence over the Cuban government. Communism: - When Castro came into power in 1959, he did not declare that he was a communist. He promised to instigate land reform and a democratic constitution. - Castro may have adopted communism as a result of the US embargo on Cuban sugar, which forced Cuba to rely on Soviet support.. - Castro’s declaration that he was a communist and his acceptance of Soviet aid plunged Cuba into the Cold War. - The transition to a communist state in 1961 led to large numbers of Cubans, many of whom supported Castro, to flee to the United States. Revolution: - The events in Cuba between 1959 and 1962 make up a revolution: - There was an economic crisis and widespread poverty - There was a growing backlash against rich Americans using Cuba for gambling and prostitution. - Castro took over as head of government and instituted reforms. - Cuba in defiance of US influence became a communist country. The Monroe Doctrine: - The Monroe Doctrine was a declaration made by the US aiming to limit European influence in any part of the Western Hemisphere. It placed the US as the protector of independent countries of the Americans and the American continent, closing out further European colonisation. The doctrine was made by president James Monroe, declaring America would not be interested in European affairs, and Europeans not interfere in the affairs of the Americas, and that any attempt by a European power to influence or colonise an independent nation in the Americas would be seen as an attack on the peace and safety of the US. The Monroe Doctrine was the American philosophy behind their actions in Cuba, and further justification for American actions on the continent (manifest destiny). By the mid 19th century, insurrections in the Americas were encouraged by the US against European powers, especially that against Spain in Cuba. By the 1880s, Americans were heavily involved in the Cuban economy, especially sugar. The US offered to buy Cuba once but Spain refused.After the Ten Years War for Cuban independence (not achieving it) in 1895, 1895-1897 marked a time where the US Press would publish articles on the atrocities of the Spanish rule over Cuba, and lobbying began in the US to supply these stories from Cubans wanting independence. Many of these were false, but persuaded public opinion for what came soon. The Spanish-American War: - - In 1898, the USS Maine arrived in Cuba on a courtesy visit. On February 15th, the Maine exploded with hundreds killed. One newspaper ran with “Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain”. In April, the US declared war on Spain, defeating the Spanish in 1899, taking Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines and Cuba. The US set up a military government until the establishment of a Cuban government in 1902. Sensational journalism led to the anti-Spanish sentiment in the occupation of Cuba, this is referred to as Yellow Journalism. The Platt Amendment: - An amendment which gave the US the legal right to intervene in Cuba. the makers of the Cuban constitution were presented with the Amendment by the United States in 1901 and were warned that American troops would not leave Cuba until its terms had been adopted. The terms of the amendment 1. Restricted Cuba’s ability to make treaties with other countries, 2. Gave the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs, 3. Gave the US the right to buy or lease land for military bases, 4. Guaranteed a perpetual lease, indefinitely, on Guantanamo Bay so that a naval base could be built. Many critics detract the amendment as a way for placing Cuba under American control, within its sphere of influence. Many times after the introduction of the Amendment did the United States forces occupy Cuba after rebellions took place, putting down strikes in sugar mills and protecting American property. By 1925, American interests dominated Cuba’s banks, mines and rail transport as well as many agricultural industries. The July 26 Movement: - - Castro and his followers, known as the July 26 Movement, moved to Mexico in order to plan to overthrow the Batista Government. Che Guevara joined them in 1956. Within 18 months the movement had launched another attack on the Batista regime. Che and Castro then organised an expedition to Cuba by boat to launch their campaign in December 1956, many already killed or captured by government troops, but 20 surviving and regrouping in the Sierra Maestra mountains, launching a Guerilla movement. Batista became increasingly unpopular due to Cuba’s dependence on the US, and its demand for sugar, Cuba being a playground for Americans with gambling, - - - prostitution and corruption, the dependence on the Sugar industry and its ties to the US, Batista coming into a power through a military coup and repressing democratic rule, and widespread poverty with limited social services. Castro gained popularity through an image created in the media as the leader of the anti-Batista forces, promising land reform and an implementation of the Democratic constitution of 1940. Although the number of rebels was small, support for Castro grew in the cities, through the Llano. Students especially supported Castro. Demonstrations, arson and bombings in the cities by July 26 supporters met with vicious reprisals by the police and army. The Urban war led to more deaths than the entire deaths than the Guerilla war, 20,000, but the brutality of Batista’s crackdown only helped the movement forward. Castro too gained an international profile, especially in the US and Mexico. The final blow for Batista came when the American government withdrew support for him by refusing to supply the Cuban armed forces in 1958. By mid 1958, the July 26 movement was on the offensive, controlling half of Cuba by December of that year. Guerilla Warfare: - - - - The movement, also known as the Fidelistas, focused on Guerilla attacks on government troops. Guerilla warfare relies on the support of the majority of the people, where enough have to be alienated from the government to give support for the guerillas. Guerilla warfare is just as much about Politics as is fighting, needing to be prepared as long as the enemy remains. Mao Zedong described Guerilla warfare as the following rules, that when the enemy advances we retreat, when they stop we harass, when they avoid battle we attack when they retreat we follow. Guevara outlined the principles behind the Fidelista Guerilla campaign as a popular victory against an oppressive government through armed struggle, that it was not necessary to wait until all the conditions for revolution occurred (the insurrection could make them), and that the insurrection should take place in rural areas. Guevara believed that the revolution will only truly occur through the act of revolutionary violence, stressing the importance of political will (voluntarismo), and a vanguard of committed militants to create the revolution. The July 26 Movement in the SM Mountains sought the support of local villagers, to act as a cover for their hiding and a source for supplies, supporting the mountains as a base to launch a movement across Cuba. The movement is divided into two parts, the Sierra, and the Llano led by Frank Pais. Castro in Power - Establishment of a Communist Cuba and Effects: - From January 1959, Castro and the new Cuban government began to transform Cuba. The fidelistas came into power with a country rife with inequality and social problems, high unemployment and half a million children not going to school, 43% illiteracy and 5 million people homeless. Castro began to introduce land reform, wage increases, rent reductions, building infrastructure in rural areas, closed casinos, made public park spaces and jailed former Batista supporters. Many were put on trial and executed. - - Once Castro had firmly established power, a number of things occurred. The July 26 movement replaced the Cuban army, elections were postponed, non-communist party parties were suspended, media organisations were nationalised, the Labour ministry declared strikes illegal, trade unions were absorbed into one state controlled organisation, wage rises were introduced, pro-Batista civil servants dismissed. American assets were confiscated, pending an embargo from the United States on Cuba for impounding investments. There were many achievements of the revolution. Better health services were established, living standards increased, illiteracy reduced from 25% in 1958 to 4% in 1970, the number of secondary schools trebled, and industrial school and university enrolments too increased dramatically. Foreign Relations & Legacy of the Cuban Revolution: - - - - In the 1960s, the major priorities of the Cuban government were to consolidate its power and to encourage revolutionary movements in other parts of Latin America. During this time, Cuba’s ties with the Soviet Union continued to strengthen. After the loss of the US as a trade partner, Cuba increasingly turned to the USSR for the survival of the Castro regime. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba faced an economic crisis that threatened the survival of the movement more than ever. Castro here introduced a series of harsh economic measures known as “The Special Period”, rationing and restricting consumer goods. The United States continued to be very hostile to Cuba under the Castro regime, with attempts to fully isolate the country from the international community lasting well past the end of the Cold War and the end of the 20th century, part of this included harsh penalties for companies doing business with Cuba, or threatening sanctions on countries doing business with Cuba. Following the turning of Cuba into a communist state, and looking strategically towards the Soviet Union, Cuba became ensnared in the Cuban Missile Crisis. This was a period over October 1962 over the planting of Soviet missiles in Cuba, directly threatening the United States, now well within the range of Soviet Nuclear Weapons stationed on the island, and eliminated their first strike advantages from missiles based in Europe. The tense stand off is remarked as one of the closest times humanity has came to sparking full-blown nuclear war between the US and the USSR. The US eventually agreed to never invade Cuba, and remove aging missiles in Turkey in exchange for the removal of Soviet missiles in Cuba. The period draws Cuba into the wider fray of the Cold War, lasting from the 1940s to the 1990s, a period marked through the theory of Mutually Assured Destruction (a very prevalent through within the Cuban Missile Crisis), on a nuclear war destroying all combatants regardless of first strike. Throughout the crisis, the US imposed a blockade on Cuba to stop soviet ships heading to Cuba carrying missiles. Following the revolution, Cuban foreign policy provided moral and material support to guerilla movements throughout Latin America, such as Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela. The establishment of other communist states in Latin America would break Cuba’s isolation as the sole communist country in the western hemisphere. - - - - - These aspects reflect the key principle of internationalism, a key aspect of Marxist theory in that no revolution can stand on its own. Full communism can only be achieved when all countries become communist, holding the aim of global revolution and not just one country. Che Guevara spearheaded this belief and saw that all Latin American nations were ripe for revolution, leaving Cuba as a source for supporting Guerilla movement. The US-backed OAS imposed sanctions on Cuba in 1964 (The OAS let nations have diplomatic relations with Cuba in 1975). This only left Cuba more reliant on the USSR for vital trade and resources, such as oil. In 1967, the Organisation of Latin American Solidarity was established in Havana with the aim of encouraging similar revolutions. In the 1960s however, Cuba failed to trigger revolutionary struggles in other Latin American countries, major reasons being poor military and tactical preparation as well as lacking off popular support for revolution. Cuba nonetheless was a training centre for these movements, helping Guerilla fighters in their national struggles in the quest for revolution against their existing regimes. In 1968, Chile established relations with Cuba with the election of a Marxist government led by Salvatore Allende in 1970, giving them an ally until it was overthrown in a bloody CIA backed coup in 1973, led by Augusto Pinochet. Cuba carried out a range of socioeconomic programs and gave money and aid to African and Latin American countries. Around 20k civilian technical workers were sent to over 40 countries. Thousands of students in these developing countries were enrolled in Cuban universities and technical colleges. The Marxist Sandinista government in Nicaragua (1979-1990) was supported by Cuba and provided an ally in Central America. Cuba gave particular support against the American backed Contra army. After years of Civil war and US sanctions, the sandinista rule eventually was lost in an election. Ironically, the rise of the communist regime in Cuba only made the US more willing to confront revolutionary struggles in Latin America. This can be termed as “blowback”, where revolutionaries push for change, only to be pushed back by adverse change worse than before. Cases of this can be seen in the American backed, anti-communist/revolutionary coups in Chile and Argentina, and the US support for strong military dictatorships and junctas in countries such as Brazil.
