Cuban Revolution - Paper Two

Rise of Authoritarian States, Cuba

Causes related to the urban population/workers

Predominantly urban population: caused a lot of unrest within and out of cities. Within the cities (Havana, Santiago, ec), workers were suppressed by Batista's rule and were subject to poor working conditions and poor living conditions. The wealth gap and divide between classes was substantial. Certainly did not earn a substantial amount of money but earned enough to live off of.

Causes related to the rural population/workers

he rural working class was uneducated, dirt poor and subject to even worse living conditions than the urban working class. Only 30% of agricultural worked more than 10 months. 15% had running water. They often had no land of their own or very little land of their own which was constantly under threat of dispossession. There was also an immense amount of productive land (300 caballeras) owned by powerful interests that was completely uncultivated. In addition, more than half the best cultivated land belongs to foreigners. Urban workers received more in pay than rural workers. Rural workers earned less than 2/3 of what urban workers earned.

Causes related to Batista coming to power

Batista took power without people's approval. This caused issues of its own. He was a dictator during his time and coming from a democracy for the previous 7 years, people were shocked and suppression was immense. In addition, Batista had a bad reputation in Cuba from his past rulings. In 1933, he also staged a military coup and overthrew the existing government. From 1933-1940, he was never officially elected president but he led through puppet-rulers. In 1940 he was officially elected but would be overthrown in the elections of 1944. By this time, he was resented in Cuba and actually moved to the US until the coup in 1952.

Causes related to the housing and utilities monopoly

If the state proposed lowering rents, landlords threatened to freeze all construction. If there was no state interference, construction would go on so long as the landlords got high rent. Likewise, with the utilities monopoly, companies would extent electrical lines so far as they saw profitable and beyond that point, they didn't care. Because of these monopolies, many people lives without electricity and without shelter.

Causes related to the lack of medical facilities

There was a huge lack of medical facilities and doctors not only in rural Cuba but urban Cuba as well. Disease was especially difficult for the young population. 90% of children were consumed by parasites and still received no medical attention.

Causes related to violence

After Batista came to power, Cuba was an incredibly violent state. Suppression of dissent made expression of opinion dangerous and Cuban soldiers/military officers/police had no issue with the killing of innocent civilians. Civilians, workers, etc would also rebel against the government during this time and it was this group of rebels who actually overthrew Batista's government in 1959.

Causes related to the issue of rent

85% of the small farmers in Cuba pay rent and live under the constant threat of being dispossessed. If landowners received word that a bigger investor was interested in their land, they would not hesitate to remove farmers from their land, home, survival and prosperity. Many farmers became homeless.

Causes related to military officers

Batista alienated younger more professionally trained officers after he brought back old guard military (this happened in 52 when Batista was installed via coup). This obviously frustrated the younger officers immensely.

Causes related to events: 1957-1958

1957-1958: Batista attacks Castro in the mountains which destroys rural workers land via bombing and kills a lot of them. Increased resentment amongst the rural poor.

Causes related to a history of revolution

Cuba had a long history of revolution. The Spanish first settled on the island in 1511 and almost immediately met resistance from indigenous people. The indigenous peoples revolted but they were usually suppressed. The next revolutions came from slaves. In the 1800s, Cuba become a key Spanish possession because of their sugar and African slaves were sent over to help cultivate. Slaves revolted but every revolt failed. There was a long revolutionary war between 1868 and 1878. Jose Marti's revolution occurred from 1853-1898.

ECONOMIC CAUSES

ECONOMIC CAUSES

Causes related to the dependency on rural workers

Cuba's production was almost entirely agriculturally based and the urban population depended on rural workers. Unfortunately, the rural workers were unable to sustain the population because there were too few of them, subject to very harsh living/working conditions. From Franco's speech: "The greatness and prosperity of our country depends on a healthy and vigorous rural population that loves the land and knows how to cultivate it, within the framework of a state that protects and guides them."

How much of the economy was based on sugar production?

1/4 of the economy was based on sugar production.

Causes related to Cuba's dependency on raw materials (sugar in particular)

Cuba's economy was almost entirely based on raw materials. They were not an industrialized country. They exported raw materials that would later be shipped back to them via industrialized materials. This caused a greater and unnecessary expenditure.

Cause related to the event on March 13th, 1958

On March 13th, 1958, the US suspended a shipment of arms to Cuba. The US had emplaced an arms embargo on Cuba. Many Cubans viewed this as a change in US foreign policy and the move affected the morale of Batista's armed forces immensely.

Causes related to trade with the US

Trade with the US created an export-import model in Cuba and they became very dependent on the United States. They were unable to modernize and industrialize as well because of this.

Causes related to the 1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreement

1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreement between Cuba and US (US agreed to buy Cuban Sugar at artificially inflated prices while US was guaranteed a market for its exported goods) Cuba became almost entirely dependent on the US for their wealth. Export-Import model. They had no incentive to modernize and/or industrialize their economy.

Causes related to the recession

Deep recession in early-to-mid 1950s (due to drought and plummeting sugar prices). Causes greater unemployment and worsening conditions for the working class.

Causes related to private US companies control in Cuba

Private US companies controlled utilities, sugar, oil and railroads. US controlled 40% of sugar, 50% of railways, 90% of utilities and telephones. They controlled these utilities because they related to production within Cuba.

POLITICAL CAUSES

POLITICAL CAUSES

Causes related to Batista's betrayal of the 1940 Constitution

Batista betrayed the terms of the 1940 Constitution (enabled himself to suspend freedom of speech, press and assembly and also banned strikes which workers previously had the freedom to perform)

Causes related to Batista being a dictator

Batista was a dictator: People lived under his suppression and he didn't come to power through free elections. The previous 7 years, Cuba was a democracy. When Batista became the leader, his policies were a drastic change.

Causes related to Batista's support of the US

The greater majority of Batista's policies included the US and their interests to a greater extent than Cuban civilians would have liked. Batista strongly supported the US and US supported Batista (a brutal dictator) because Batista stabilized the country and looked out for US interests. When Cuba was unstabilized, the US imposed an arms embargo (1958) because they were worried about his harsh suppression of dissent, increasing violence and the rebels attacking sugar and other industries (communications, railroads, etc) which would decrease US interest. Batista lost support of the military. US supported regimes in Cuba that they hopes would accept US control and after 1945, oppose the spread of Communism. Between 1902 and 1922, the US intervened militarily in Cuba on three occasions in order to ensure their continued influence there. By the mid 1920s, the US had all but won political, economic and military control over Cuba.

Causes related to the arms embargo

Anti-Batista sentiment also spread to Batista's armed forces. On March 13th, 1958, the US suspended a shipment of arms to Cuba. The US had emplaced an arms embargo on Cuba. Many Cubans viewed this as a change in US foreign policy and the move affected the morale of Batista's armed forces immensely. In addition, the defeat after defeat after defeat by the Fidelistas demoralized Batista's troops.

Causes related to the release of prisoners

Batista releases grants amnesty to all prisoners including Castro on May 15th 1955.

Causes related to Jose Marti

Jose Marti's Philosophy of Cuban Independence from foreign domination (in this case Spain). Led revolutions from 1853-1898. Marti felt that Cuba could lead the way in establishing a more unified Latin America and wrote passionately about the need for justice and equality among all races encouraging measures such as freedom and speech and freedom of press. Marti formed the Cuban Revolutionary Party. His revolution officially began against Spain in February of 1895. He died in May of 1895 but his influence was still strong and the rebels success took them far until US intervention. The US 'Maine' blew up in February of 1898 and this was their excuse to declare war upon Spain and get involved even though the revolutionaries had it under control.

Causes related to the Spanish-American war and Platt Amendment

Spanish-American War (1898-1901) followed by the Platt Amendment (Drawn up in 1901 and established in 1903) - Cuba given its "independence" but US given power to dominate Cuba's economy, foreign policy and to intervene militarily in Cuba's foreign affairs and their economy. The Platt Amendment opposed the previous Teller Amendment. The peace terms after the war also disbanded the Cuban military under US request removing any source of opposition.

Causes related to fraudulent elections

Fraudulent elections/cancelled elections etc. Called themselves democratic but they were clearly not. (1925-Machado, 1933-34-coup and Batista put Grou in power, 1944 elections, 1952 Batista takes power via a coup, Batista promises that there will be free election in 1954 and there were but they were a "sham." His opposers ultimately withdrew.) This was all an indication of governmental corruption.

Causes related to the attack of the Moncada barracks

Castro attacked the Moncada army barracks in response to Castro gaining power through a coup. They lost the battle. (July 26th, 1953) Essentially the start of the Cuban Revolution. In November of 1956, Castro and his troops landed in Cuba and essentially started their rebellion after three years in hiding. In January of 1959, Batista was overthrown by rebel troops.

Causes related to the Civic Dialogue

Civic Dialogue: Middle-class/moderate influence in Cuba. One last effort for Batista to establish free elections. A very telling event and last political compromise. Made people realize that Batista would not be removed in a sound fashion.

Causes related to Anti-Batista coalition

Summer of 1958: Anti-Batista forces coalesced around Castro and Castro formally let these groups into his rebel coalition.

Main idea about political situation in Cuba before the Cuban Revolution was....

The government was corrupt!

Moncada Barracks Attack

120 rebels led by Fidel and Raul attacking those in favour of Batista at the monacada brracks.

"History will absolve me" Speech (1953)

Speech made by Castro at his trial in 1953. Although only a small number of people were allowed to observe, he made this speech to justify his revolution and lay out his agenda.

Emigration

movement of individuals out of an area

Che Guevara

(1928-1967) Argentinean revolutionary leader; he was an aide to Fidel Castro during the Cuban revolution.

Bay of Pigs Invasion

failed invasion of Cuba in 1961 when a force of 1,200 Cuban exiles, backed by the United States, landed at the Bay of Pigs.

Battle of Santa Clara

Che Guevara defeats 3,000 troops with 300 rebels. The Battle of Santa Clara was a series of events in late December 1958 that led to the capture of the Cuban city of Santa Clara by revolutionaries under the command of Che Guevara.

The battle was a decisive victory for the rebels fighting against the regime of General Fulgencio Batista. Within 12 hours of the city's capture, Batista fled Cuba, and Fidel Castro's forces claimed overall victory.

Herbert Matthews

He was an American reporter and journalist who revealed to public that Fidel Castro had survived the failed July 26th Movement's landing and was living in the Sierra Maestra Mountains of Cuba. His coverage provided publicity to the movement and built its legitimacy internationally.

Jose Marti (1853-1895)

Cuban poet, philosopher, essayist, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher, who is considered a Cuban national hero. Referred to as the "Apostle of Cuban Independence." He died in military action during the Battle of Dos Rios and was even considered an inspiration by the communist revolutionaries in 1959.

La Coubre Incident

1960, A French ship which had exploded in a cuban harbor.

Cuban Agrarian Reform Law (1959)

The agrarian reforms in Cuba sought to break up large landholdings and redistribute land to those peasants who worked it, to cooperatives, and the state. Laws relating to land reform were implemented in a series of laws passed between 1959 and 1963 after the Cuban Revolution. The Institutio Nacional de Reforma Agraria (INRA)—an agency of the Cuban government responsible to implement the first and second Agrarian Reforms. The agency adapted the Soviet model of organisation—small collectives (Asociación Nacional de Agricultures Pequeños) and large(er) state farms. The government gained 44 % of farm and ranch land, which did not distributed to peasants --because the gov't believed that doing so would lead a decline in production\-- instead it converted these lands into state farms and cooperatives. Hence, the US owned 1/4 of the land in Cuba, the Agrarian reform soon directed into conflict to both governments. Historically, these first reforms ignited the problems between the both countries.

The Granma

The Granma was the yacht that was used to transport Castro, his brother, Che, and 82 of his men from Mexico to Cuba in November 1956 for the purpose of overthrowing the regime of Fulgencio Batista. Though the yatch did not arrived at the time and place planned, this allowed Fidel to create alliances with marginalized peasants at the Sierra Mestra.

Missile Crisis

The crisis is generally regarded as the moment in which the Cold War came closest to turning into a nuclear conflict. After the US had placed nuclear missiles in Turkey, aimed at Moscow, and the failed US attempt to overthrow the Cuban regime, in May 1962 Nikita Khrushchev proposed the idea of placing Soviet nuclear missiles on Cuba to deter any future invasion attempt. The US publicly agreed to relinquish its plans to invade Cuba in the future and secretly agreed to remove the missiles in Turkey. It's historical importance by reaching a consensus the Americans were protected from sufferer the effects of war in American soil. Otherwise history would have been a lot different not only for Americans but globally as well.

Literacy Campaigns

was a year-long program in 1961 initiated by Revolutionaries in an attempt to abolish illiteracy and create a new political culture. Its historical significance is that it worked. Literacy rates raised and it was proved a success.

Che Guevara (1928-1967)

Argentine born, Marxist revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara played an important part for the Cuban revolution as guerrilla, as minister of industry, and as a figure that influenced the Cuba's revolution with his philosophy of a "new man," a new society that could be motivated by the morals rather than by personal gain. His historical significance the the influence that he has in Latin America even after his death.

Fulgencio Batista

Batista initially rose to power as part of the 1933 "Revolt of the Sergeants" that overthrew the authoritarian rule of Gerardo Machado. Batista maintained control of the government through a string of puppet presidents until 1940, when he was himself elected President of Cuba on a populist platform. In 1952 Facing certain electoral defeat, he led a military coup that preempted the election.Back in power, Batista suspended the 1940 Constitution and revoked most political liberties, including the right to strike. He then aligned with the wealthiest landowners who owned the largest sugar plantations, and presided over a stagnating economy that widened the gap between rich and poor Cubans. Batista's increasingly corrupt and repressive regime then began to systematically profit from the exploitation of Cuba's commercial interests, by negotiating lucrative relationships with the American mafia, who controlled the drug, gambling, and prostitution businesses in Havana, and with large multinational American corporations that had invested considerable amounts of money in Cuba. Batista established tighter censorship of the media, while also utilizing his anti-Communist secret police to carry out wide-scale violence, torture and public executions. The Batista regime received financial, military, and logistical support from the US. HIs atrocities as dictators motivated the Cuban Revolution.

Gerardo Machado

After fighting in the Wars of Independence, he turned to farming and business but remained active in politics, heading the Liberal Party in 1920. His election to the presidency in 1924 was welcomed by middle class, who thought a sensible businessman would restore order. Accused of enriching himself at public expense. In 1927 he seized control of the Cuban political parties. He was reelected in 1928, despite heated opposition from students and professional men, and began to rule even more dictatorially.

Sugar Economy

Cuba was dependant on its sugar economy

Platt Amendment

The Platt Amendment was introduced in 1902. It secured US interests in Cuba by restricting Cuba's conduct of foreign policy and commercial relations, it gave the right to the US to intervene in Cuba's affairs, allowed the US to install military bases in the island, which was one of the main motives for Cuba's revolution. These lead Cuba into an economic dependency with the US. All these combined ignited Cuba's Revolution.

Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution (1953-1959) was an armed revolt conducted by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement and its allies against the government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. The revolution had domestic --such as agrarian reform, democratization of public services, and international repercussions --like missile crisis and US embargo in Cuba. Cuba's successful independence served as a model to other Latin American revolutionary movements seeking to also to gain economic and political Independence from the US.

26 of July (M-26)

The 26th of July Movement's name originated from the failed attack on the Moncada Barracks. The movement reorganized in Mexico, after Castro was sent in exile. The movement also organized nationwide, but concentrated in urban areas, where it absorbed other movements like the Ortodoxo Party.Members in the Island mobilized attacks against Batista. Their consistent attacks against Batista allowed the weakening of the regime. Efforts that Fidel was not always able to appreciate, hence, his efforts were concentrated in Sierra Maestra.

Special Period (Cuba)

an extended period of economic crisis that began in 1989 primarily due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and, by extension, the Comecon