Cuban Revolution Flashcards
Who was Batista?
The pro-American military dictator, opponent of Fidel Castro.
How did the Cuban Revolution begin?
Castro returned to Cuba in December 1956 and amassed 79 supporters.
After a guerrilla campaign conducted against the Batista regime, Castro’s supporters began to swell.
On 1st January 1959 Batista’s regime collapsed and Castro rode triumphantly into Havana.
How did the USA demonstrate tolerance relating to Cuba and its revolution?
America showed little support for Batista and let the uprising run its course.
In 1956 Castro introduced a programme of agrarian reform which led to the state seizure of a considerable amount of American-owned property. They did not generate an instant, hostile US response.
However, how were US fears of Cuba becoming a Soviet satellite state heightened?
In February 1960 when a trade agreement was struck with the Soviet Union who extended $100 million in credits to Cuba and promised to buy 5 million tons of Cuban sugar over the next 3 years.
Khrushchev’s sponsorship of Castro was part of his plan to spread communism into the developing world.
What happened with the ship ‘La Coubre’ and why is it important?
It was a ship carrying a Belgian arms shipment to Cuba which exploded in Havana Harbour - March 1960 - killing 100 people.
Castro was convinced that it was an act of US sabotage.
Why were Castro’s suspicions not merely a product of pure paranoia?
The CIA had established a Cuban Task Force in December 1959.
Also, in March 1960, Eisenhower had approved plans for an invasion of Cuba by anti-Castro expatriates trained by the CIA.
The CIA were already trying to defeat Castro’s revolution from within.
How did the La Coubre incident help radicalise Castro’s revolution?
He now nationalised US oil refineries and other US assets.
By October 382 American companies in Cuba had had their property confiscated.
The anti-American rhetoric also intensified.
