L09 - Chapter Four - The Driving Force of the Cuban Revolution Flashcards
What was the nature of Cuba’s internal situation during its changing relationship with the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s?
Cuba’s internal situation was marked by a transition from an anti-dictatorial political movement to a radical social revolution, driven by the ideological inclinations of its leaders and shaped by earlier U.S. policies in Cuba and Latin America.
How did earlier U.S. policies influence Cuban revolutionary leaders?
Earlier U.S. policies, such as the 1954 U.S.-supported military takeover in Guatemala and interventions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, significantly shaped the ideological predispositions of Cuban leaders, influencing their skepticism and radicalization.
What was the impact of U.S. opposition on the Cuban population?
U.S. opposition to revolutionary policies radicalized much of the Cuban population and undermined the influence of pro-U.S. liberals, aligning public sentiment more closely with the revolution’s radical trajectory.
Did U.S. policies in the late 1950s and early 1960s play a primary role in forming Cuban leaders’ mindsets?
No, these policies largely confirmed pre-existing beliefs among Cuban leaders rather than forming new ones, though they radicalized the broader population and diminished pro-U.S. liberal influences within the revolutionary government.
What role did economic transformation play in U.S.-Cuban conflict?
Attempts at economic transformation in a U.S.-dominated economy inevitably led to conflict. Political revolutionaries faced internal and external opposition, culminating in the nationalization of foreign enterprises.
Why didn’t Cuban revolutionary leaders retreat from their radical course despite pressures?
Cuban leaders’ unwillingness to retreat stemmed from ideological commitments and concerns about losing revolutionary momentum. A more reformist route risked reducing the revolutionary scope and potentially splitting leadership ranks.
Did mass pressures from below drive the radical course of the Cuban Revolution?
No, mass pressures were more about rising expectations for improved living standards, not a demand for a faster or more radical revolution. Redistribution policies initially created significant political capital for the government.
Who were some non-Communist radicals in the early revolutionary government?
Figures such as David Salvador, Marcelo Fernández, Faustino Pérez, Carlos Franqui, and Enrique Oltuski represented independent non-Communist radicals.
How did splits among revolutionary leaders manifest?
Evidence suggests tensions existed in 1959 between Fidel Castro and more radical figures like Raúl Castro and Che Guevara, reflecting diverse ideological currents within the revolutionary government.
What ideological factions existed in the revolutionary government?
The government included pro-U.S. liberals (who lost influence by late 1959), independent non-Communist radicals, and a strong pro-Communist and pro-Soviet wing led by Raúl Castro and Che Guevara.
Why was the Cuban working class less influential during the 1950s?
The working class was highly organized but hindered by bureaucratic and corrupt trade unions, limiting its ability to replicate its earlier role in struggles like those against the Machado dictatorship.
What opportunities allowed the revolutionary leadership to pursue a radical course?
The collapse of the Cuban army in 1959 eliminated the main support for the prerevolutionary state, creating a power vacuum that the revolutionary leaders exploited to implement radical changes.
How did Fidel Castro’s leadership influence the revolution?
Castro’s leadership prevented potential military coups during Batista’s collapse and decisively shaped the revolutionary government’s radical trajectory, leveraging Cuba’s unique social and political context.
What social context facilitated Castro’s rise?
Cuba’s advanced economy and diminished political power of capitalist and working classes post-1933 weakened opposition, while the fragmented armed forces and dependence on U.S. support reduced elite resistance.
How did the 1933 Cuban Revolution weaken capitalist dominance?
Mutinous sergeants replaced traditional military officers, weakening ties between the armed forces and the upper class, while the capitalist class relied on U.S. political support.
What happened to Cuba’s weak political parties, including the Ortodoxos, by the mid-to-late 1950s?
They fell apart, reflecting the political weaknesses of all of Cuba’s social classes.
What happened to the Movimiento de Resistencia Civica in February 1959?
It dissolved itself into the 26th of July Movement, symbolizing its political subordination to Fidel Castro’s leadership.
What role did the 26th of July Movement play in Cuban politics by the end of 1958?
It achieved unchallenged hegemony within the opposition to Batista, surprising even its leaders.
How did Marxists define Bonapartism in the Cuban context?
Bonapartism explained how individual leaders like Fidel Castro acquired significant power due to a deadlock among social classes and the ruling classes’ inability to govern effectively.
Name three factors that contributed to the revolutionary situation in Cuba.
1.A stagnant economy.
2.The frustrations of the failed 1933 revolution.
3.The neocolonial relationship with the United States.
What did Fidel Castro and his leaders initially expect about their role in a post-Batista government?
They believed they would need to form a coalition government with other opposition parties, such as the Ortodoxos and Auténticos.
How did the failures of other opposition movements contribute to Castro’s success?
Events such as the crushed navy rebellion in Cienfuegos and the failure of the Directorio Revolucionario’s assassination attempt on Batista weakened rival groups, allowing Castro’s movement to dominate.
What setbacks did the 26th of July Movement face in 1956?
-The failed Santiago de Cuba uprising on November 30.
-The decimation of most of the 81 men who landed with Castro in December.
Why was the establishment of Radio Rebelde in February 1958 significant?
It enhanced the rebels’ political attraction by truthfully reporting victories and defeats, contrasting with Batista’s propaganda.
What role did the Sierra Maestra play in the Cuban Revolution?
It became the base for the 26th of July Movement’s political and military operations, enabling it to recover from defeats and expand.
What was the outcome of the national general strike called by the 26th of July Movement in April 1958?
Batista’s repressive apparatus crushed the strike, but the stability of the Sierra Maestra stronghold allowed the rebels to recover.
How did the 26th of July Movement achieve military dominance by the end of July 1958?
It defeated Batista’s army in 30 significant battles during the summer, forcing government troops to retreat from the Sierra Maestra.
Who led the new guerrilla fronts established by the rebels in Oriente Province?
-Raúl Castro led the front in the Sierra Cristal.
-Juan Almeida led the front east of Santiago de Cuba.
How did the collapse of the Cuban army affect the revolutionary regime?
It removed a major source of opposition, enabling the development of a social revolution without interference from the Cuban upper classes or U.S. imperialism.
What were the main reasons for the Cuban army’s collapse by 1959?
-Long-term corruption and lack of social base.
-High rates of desertion and inability to combat the rebels effectively.
How did the revolutionary leadership maintain political initiative after January 1, 1959?
They stayed ahead of mass sentiment, implementing radical policies while accommodating supporters and allies without losing political control.
What critical element emerged in the development of a revolutionary process in Cuba after the collapse of the traditional army?
Fidel Castro’s control and political initiative became critical to the revolutionary process.
How did Castro’s leadership address challenges from below?
His leadership avoided disruption from pressures or demands by maintaining strict control over revolutionary initiatives.
What was Castro’s stance on spontaneous land distribution in February 1959?
Castro opposed anarchic land distribution, stating that any unauthorized land appropriation would disqualify individuals from benefits under the new agrarian reform law.
What incident in November 1957 revealed Castro’s insistence on political control?
Castro repudiated the Miami Pact, criticizing omissions such as rejecting foreign intervention and demanded sole authority to nominate the future president.
What strategic maneuver allowed Castro to manage land distribution effectively?
Land seizures were conducted by the Instituto Nacional de Reforma Agraria or rebel army officers in response to peasant complaints, avoiding spontaneous takeovers.
What was Castro’s approach to the labor movement in November 1959?
He imposed a leadership with greater Communist representation and purged resistant labor leaders through controlled meetings and commissions.
Why did Castro discourage the formal organization of the 26th of July Movement into a regular party?
To maintain personal control over political developments and avoid creating an independent political entity with its own ideology and organization.
What happened to the 26th of July Movement organizationally?
It deteriorated and was eventually merged into the reconstituted Communist Party by the mid-1960s.
Why did Castro avoid holding new labor elections in 1959?
To prevent unions from retaining autonomy and ensure they became tools of the government’s policies.
How did Castro handle Soviet impatience over Anastas Mikoyan’s delayed visit?
He postponed Mikoyan’s visit until February 1960, partly due to apprehension about the National Catholic Congress in November 1959.
