Cuba/Chile Test

Chile

• major export: mining industry

• copper industry build through foreign investment (largely controlled by the US)

• working class largely native to Chile - more access to political system than in Argentina

Chile Before Dictatorship - Politics

• democratic institutions strong

• competitive elections

• several political parties

• labor movement spread throughout left leaning political parties (socialists + communists)

• coalition governments

• voter participation high

Chile Before Dictatorship - Economy

• international loans

• us controlled the copper industry

• tension between working class demands for social justice and leftist economic reform vs. moderate economic reforms that met the demands of foreign investors

Salvador Allende

• marxist candidate

• won plurality of votes in 1970 election

• economic reforms: government control, raise wages, freeze prices, nationalize steel, coal, and copper industry

• steep decline in Chilean economy led to social unrest

Reasons for US involvement in Chile

• cold war era foreign policy: containment and the domino theory

• marxism through a free and fair election would set an example, legitimize marxist political parties

• US economic interests (US corporations were invested in Chile)

How the US interfered in Chile

• financially supported anti-marxist political candidates

• US “invisible blockade” of Chilean economy (opposed foreign loans, foreign or private investment)

• supported anti-allende media

• some coordination with Chilean military to support coup

Chile Coup and the Pinochet Regime

• military coup which eventually led to the installation general augusto pinochet as president

• brutal, oppressive, dictatorial rule for 17 years

operation condor

cooperation between six south american (and the CIA) countries to elimination left-wing opponents

• argentina

• bolivia

• brazil

• chile

• paraguay

• uruguay

The Spanish-American War and the Treaty of Paris

• us took control of cuba - ruled territory as a military government

• granted political independence to cuba in 1902 (US still allowed to intervene in economic and foreign affairs)

• us - significant control over sugar industry (owned land mills, infrastructure. US also largest consumer of Cuban sugar)

• us established naval base at Guantanamo Bay

Rule of Fulgencio batista

• lots of government corruption

• collaborated w/ criminal organizations

• suppressed free speech/press and violently rounded up opposition (torture, public executions)

• over 1/3 of Cubans remained in poverty

• us supported Batista because of buisness interests - many American corporations involved in Cuba and he was anti-communist

Attack on Moncada Army Barracks: July 26, 1953

• Fidel Castro (son of a wealthy landowner, educated as a lawyer) was critical of Batista’s regime - wanted more progressive reforms

• Led attack that became known as the July 26th Movement - plan: steal weapons in the Moncada barracks and arm anti-Batista rebels

• After a stint in jail, Castro moved to Mexico & continued building support against Batista

Cuban Revolution

• catsro snuck back into Cuba and established base in Sierra maestra mountains

• worked to build more support (bigger army)

• by 1958, Castro’s army captured major cities

• Batista fled Havana in late December 1958 and Castro took power by the start of 1959

Cuba - U.S. Relations

• President Eisenhower immediately recognized Castro as new leader of Cuba

• Castro visited U.S. in April 1959 - met V.P. Nixon

• Relationship quickly soured:

• Agrarian Reform Act - banned foreign ownership of land in Cuba and nationalized privately-owned land/businesses (redistributed to peasants, state-run communes)

• US embargo of Cuba began October 1960 → drove Cuba to establish trading relationship w/ USSR, solidifying Cuban communism

• JFK - elected president in 1960

• Oversaw two major events involving Cuba:

  1) Bay of Pigs Invasion

  2) Cuban Missile Crisis

Bay of Pigs Invasion

• CIA- backed forces hoped to spark revolt and overthrow Castro

• Invasion was complete failure and made US look like the aggressor

• Castro turned to Soviet premier Khrushchev (Stalin’s successor)

• USSR supplies weapons to Cuba

Bay of Pigs Invasion solution

• USSR will remove its missiles from Cuba

• US will remove its missiles from Turkey, and pledge not to invade Cuba again

Cuba Before Revolution

• 1902: Cuba gains independence but America has the right to interfere in Cuban affairs

• Fulgencio Batista: general, “president” on and off since 1930s

• from 1952-1959, Batista supported financially/militarily by the USA

“American” Cuba

• By 1950s, US companies own 90% of Cuban mines, 80% of Cuban public utilities, 50% of Cuban railways, 40% of Cuban sugar production

• Havana: huge playground for American tourists, mafia bosses, celebrities

• Students & youth oppose corruption, begin to circulate revolutionary ideas

The Cuban Revolution

• Led by Fidel Castro, a young lawyer who adopted leftist ideas while at University of Havana

• Establishes base in Sierra Maestra with Raul Castro & Ernesto “Che” Guevara

• Guerrilla warfare

• In late 1958, Batista flees — Castro takes Havana in 1959

Castro, Cuba, & Communism

• When the revolution is launched, Castro states that it is NOT a Communist one; America openly welcomes Castro’s new government.

• By 1965, Castro’s Cuba has been declared a Communist nation and a close ally of the USSR