Key Term | Defined | Significance to understanding 20th Century Cuba |
Alliance for Progress | The US aid program offered to Latin American countries by US President John F. Kennedy in 1961 was to help improve the social and economic conditions that would encourage socialist revolutions. | Containment Catalyst: The alliance was a direct response to the Cuban Revolution, aiming to contain Castro’s influence in the Western Hemisphere. Highlighted the US view of Cuba as a threat to regional stability during the Cold War. Ideological Shift: The program aimed to prove that democratic capitalist development was more effective than the socialist model. This forced Cuba to define its own development in opposition to the US-backed capitalist oriented growth. Regional Isolation: By involving other Latin American countries in a development pact the US sought to diplomatically isolate Cuba. Yankee Imperialism Narrative: The Alliance failure with right-wing, anti-communist regimes strengthened Cuba’s anti-imperialist rhetoric, and became a sovereign alternative to US influence for Latin Americans. Counter Revolutionary Security: The Alliance provided military support to friendly regimes to suppress leftist, pro-Cuban movements, this shaped the repressive political landscape in Latin America.
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Angolan Civil War | Sometimes referred to as “Cuba’s Vietnam”: a major civil conflict in Angola; the war began after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975 and quickly became a Cold War Proxy War. | Independent Global Actor: Cuba acted independently of the Soviet Union to project military power in Angola, transforming from a Soviet satellite into a proactive, independent actor in the Cold War. Anti-Apartheid and Third World Leadership: Cuba’s military success, particularly in the 1987-1988 battle of Cuito Cuanavale against South African forces, positioned Fidel Castro as a leader of the Third World and champion of anti-colonialism, bolstering Cuba’s diplomatic stature. Internationalist Identity: The deployment reinforced the Cuban Revolution’s method of spreading socialism and serving as a pillar of ideological legitimacy for the regime. Economic and Social Strain: The long, costly, and bloody conflict impacted Cuban society and created a culture of disillusionment following the withdrawal of troops in 1989-1991. Precursor to the Special Period: THe prolonged financial and human burden of the war contributed to the severe economic crisis in 1990s Cuba.
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Bay of Pigs Invasion | Failed military invasion of Cuba undertaken by a CIA-sponsored paramilitary group made up of Cuban exiles | Solidified Castro’s Power: Swift victory against the CIA-trained exiles reinforced Castro’s image as a nationalist hero defending against American imperialism. Formalized Communist Alignment: Following the failed invasion Castro officially declared the socialist nature of the revolution, leading to a much closer and long-term alliance with the USSR. Catalyst for the Missile Crisis: The fear of further US aggression convinced Cuba and the USSR to install nuclear missiles, directly causing the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Internal Consolidation: The event allowed the regime to consolidate power, branding opposition as worms, counter-revolutionaries, and strengthening internal security. Defined US-Cuban Relations: It solidified the enduring, hostile, and embargo-driven nature of US-Cuban relations for the rest of the 20th century.
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‘monocrop boom and bust’ | Refers to economies that are dependent on exporting one product, and who are therefore vulnerable to prices rising or falling, usually with devastating national results. | Cuba’s economy and livelihood of workers was dependent on their sugar crop (80% of Cuba’s exports) High prices meant that the landowners profited and workers had harsh conditions while low prices meant that there were layoffs and wage cuts(either way not good for the workers and the peasants) Instability of the sugar market and “busts” in the market led to more cries for revolution to get out of the hardships the many peasants were facing
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CDR (Committees for the Defense of the Revolution) | Militias formed in Cuba by Castro in 1960, when foreign invasion appeared about to happen. The CDR defeated counter-revolutionary forces in Cuba. CDRs transformed into neighborhood agencies that serve as the eyes and ears of the revolution and enforce conformity. | designed to maintain "revolutionary collective surveillance” and monitor civilians to better survey and control at a local level Led to social ostracization due to identifying counter-revolutionary forces and people Integrated state values into day-to-day life For the Cuban state they represented the “unity of the people” at a local level and a way to defend against opposing forces (EX. CIA)
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Cuban Missile Crisis | a 13-day (October 16–28, 1962) confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union concerning US ballistic missile deployment in Italy and Turkey with consequent Soviet ballistic missile deployment in Cuba | |
Expropriation (see also nationalization) | When property is taken by the state for public use, with or without approval of the owner and with or without compensation. Relate to land reform. | In October 1960, Fidel Castro and the Cuban Government responded to the massive amount of US-owned businesses by nationalizing (expropriating) the majority of them, separating Americans from all of their possessions in Cuba. This was part of Castro’s initiative to help Cuba become independent from American influence This resulted in the US severing all diplomatic relations
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Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) | Established in 1960 by former guerrilla fighter Vilma Espín. The FMC began by helping prostitutes and unemployed women, but evolved to fight for gender equality in Cuba. By 1974 FMC promoted a “Family Code” that called for spouses to share fully in child-rearing. | Helped the Cuban worker population recover after the revolution and provided an equitable way for more people to participate in the labour movement. This helped promote equitable values in Cuba, but also resulted in communist suspicion in the US Started a literacy campaign to help younger Cuban women gain opportunities for higher education or in professional fields Painted Cuba in a better light after the revolution by immediately securing an iniative for women’s rights, something that appealed to many 1st world nations around the globe.
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Helms–Burton Act (1996) | Act designed to put more pressure on countries that wanted to trade with Cuba. This included suing international companies that used former US-owned businesses in Cuba. | Part of Fidel Castro’s nationwide expropriation policy that involved pressuring other enterprises internationally to recognize Cuba’s independence as a nation Prioritized trade with communist nations, sparking more US suspicion
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Key Term | Defined | Significance to understanding 20th Century Cuba |
M-26-7 (AKA: 26th of July Movement) | The vanguard revolutionary organization led by Fidel Castro; overthrew the Batista dictatorship in Cuba. The movement’s main objectives were distribution of land (land reform, Agrarian Reform Laws 1959-1963) to peasants, nationalization of public services, industrialization, honest elections, and large scale education reform. | M-26-7 was the group who sailed from Mexico on the Granma, which included Fidel Castro. They were attacked by Cuban forces, but eventually regrouped in the Sierra Maestra mountains Planted seeds for the Cuban revolution to overthrow the Batista government Brought ideas of land reform and nationalising industries from Mexico to Cuba and its people. The name commemorates Castro leading a failed attack on the Moncada barracks against the Batista government on July 26
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Mariel boatlift | a mass emigration of Cubans, who traveled from Cuba's Mariel Harbor to the United States in 1980. | Caused by a massive decrease in sugar prices, which caused a recession in Cuba, and because of the strict laws that Castro enforced on Cuban citizens Deviants in Cuba were sent to camps Castro opened up Cuba's borders so citizens could leave, and so 125,000 Cubans left. Along with those Cubans, Castro also sent along “undesirables”, who were members of the LGTBTQ+ community, people with mental disabilities, and prisoners.
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Military Units to Aid Production | set up as an alternative form of military service for members of pacifist religious groups (such as Jehovah's Witnesses), conscientious objectors, political enemies of Castro and gay men. | UMAP camps were effectively prisons for those who couldn’t serve, which included political enemies of Castro and those who opposed the revolution. Named UMAP and disguised as alternate military service to hide the fact it was slavery and included beating and torture for those in the camps This shows Castros tyrannical attitude towards anybody who didnt agree with him about the revolution Proposed by Castro after visiting USSR and seeing how they dealt with critics
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Non-Aligned Movement (see also: Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America) | a group of states that are not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc; to ensure "the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of non-aligned countries" in their "struggle against imperialism, colonialism, neo-colonialism, racism, and all forms of foreign aggression, occupation, domination, interference or hegemony as well as against great power and bloc politics"
| Provided grounds for Cuba to make connections with developing nations “In the 1960s and 1970s at least 50 000 Cubans in the military were sent to assist African rebels in Angola and South Africa. It can be said that they helped to overturn the apartheid government in South Africa.” OXFORD text Cuba’s participation in Angolan War (in-class video)
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Operation Mongoose (The Cuban Project) | 1960 - Eisenhower authorized the CIA to remove Castro from power. CIA tried (and failed) - 638 times! - to remove Castro from power. Continued under Kennedy and through the 21st century. | Furthered Castro’s destain for US government and eliminated possibility of collaboration Prompted Cuba’s collaboration with Soviet Union, as aggressive tactics used in Cuba viewed as threat by Soviet forces Triggered Cuban missile crisis
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Operation Peter Pan | Exodus of 14,000 unaccompanied minors from Cuba to the US orchestrated by the Catholic Church and the US government in 1960-61. | Parents sent their children away to grow up in a non-communist society (US) Provides inside perspective of fear of communism from both US and much of Cuban society Some children separated for years from or never reunited with their families
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Platt Amendment | This gave the U.S. government the right to oversee Cuba’s finances, to intervene in domestic affairs, and to lease three Cuban ports to the U.S. Navy. | |
Special Period | “The Special Period in Time of Peace” in Cuba was a euphemism for an extended period of economic crisis that began in 1989, primarily due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union and, by extension, the COMECON. | Although the collapse of the USSR put Cuba at risk of economic collapse aswell, the Cuban regime didn’t collapse, even though it shrank by 35% Cuba partially benefited from the loss of the USSR as a trade partner, as the USSR was providing 90% of Cuba’s oil at less than market cost As a response, Castro opens up the country to foreign influence, adopting foreign currency like the dollar bill, and promoting tourism to Cuba. Cuba legalized foreign investment, allowing some of their prominent businesses to grow. Remittances (the money migrants/immigrants send to their home countries) increased from 50 million in 1990 to 700 million in 2000.
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Tricontinental Conference of 1966 | A gathering of countries that focused on anti-colonial and anti-imperial issues during the Cold War era, specifically those related to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The conference was held from 3rd to 16 January 1966, in Havana, Cuba, and was attended by roughly 500 delegates from 82 countries. |
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Key Term | Defined | Significance to understanding 20th Century Cuba |