Revolution and
Intervention
Trends in Latin America
•
Roots of problems in Latin America
come from colonialism
•
After WWII, Turning to
industrialization instead of economy
was based on cash crops/raw
materials
•
Import-substitution led
industrialization- economic policy of
replacing certain imported goods with
a country’s own manufactured goods
•
Still relied on foreign countries for
investments, technology, loans,
military aid
Economic Trends
• Rural land issues
• Small group of elites owned
land in Latin America
(many tied to US business)
• Peasants had no land
Social Trends
• Large gap between rich and poor
• Liberation Theology- belief that
the church should be active in the
struggle for economic/ social
equality
• Couldn’t make money in rural,
moved to cities= rapid
urbanization
• Shortages of food, housing, safe
drinking water
The Cuban Revolution
• Social inequality and U.S. influence
led to revolt that brought communism
• Cuba depended on U.S.
• 1950s modern hotels/casinos owned
by Americans and Cuban elite
• U.S. owned plantations
• Cuba one of richest countries in
Latin America but VERY LITTLE to
Cubans
Reasons for the Revolt
• Business interest encouraged U.S.
govt support corrupt dictators in
Cuba
• Fulgencio Batista “a rich country
with too many poor people”
• 1953 Fidel Castro led
unsuccessful attack on Cuban
army barracks (arrested)
• 2 years later, Castro guerrilla war
became full-scale revolution
• Batista fled 1959, Castro left in
control
Goals of the Revolution
• Support to get rid of Batista
but didn’t know what
Castro would do
• Marxist regime
• Castro wanted to end U.S.
dominance, redistribution
of wealth, reforming
society
Goals of the Revolution
• 1961 ended illiteracy within 1 year
• Created system of free,
nationwide medical care
• Limited the size of landholdings
and nationalized all private
property (reduce economic
inequality)
• Castro took full control of
government, took away freedom
of press
• Cuba more towards communism
U.S. Involvement
• Communism during Cold War worried
U.S.
• Latin American apart of sphere of
influence
• Organization of American States (OAS)organization that promotes economic and
military cooperation
• 1961 Bay of Pigs- mission spark
nationwide uprising against Castro-failed
• 1962 CIA learned Soviet Union building
nuclear weapons in Cuba- Kennedy
ordered naval blockade Cuban Missile
http://www.youtube.com/watc Crisis
h?v=y3fDkx7JZW0
Results of the Revolution
• Mixed results
• Cubans good access to health
care and education
• Civil liberties were restricted
under one-party system
• Economic policies made many
leave Cuba
• Castro relied on Soviet Union,
1991 Soviet collapsed so did
Cuba
Guatemala
•
1952 President Jacobo Arbenz
used land reform to take over large
landholdings & distribute land to
peasants
•
Hurt the United Fruit Company
•
U.S. felt Guatemala president be
removed
•
1954 CIA intervened replaced him
with military dictator
•
1970-1990s guerillas and govt
raged between war, 1996 peace
accord
El Salvador
• Military dictatorship kept power
through unfair elections
• 1980 gunned down Archbishop
Oscar Romero- govt critic who
supported Liberation Theology
• War between communist-supported
guerrilla groups and army
• “death squads” countryside killing
civilians
Nicaragua
• Ruled by the Somoza
family (controlled ¼
countries land)
• Sandinistas- revolutionary
group took control of
capital
• Junta- group of leaders
who rule jointly