Why was Castro successful in his bid to overthrow Batista?

1)Quality of Castro´s commanders: Raul Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara 2)The area the Fidelists started their operations was an important part of the island with only a few Rural Guard ( police force) outposts 3) The local population had been terrorised by the Rural Guard commanders for decades → the growing success of the guerilla troops of Castro

4) Batista´s army became unloyal and unreliable 5) Economic recessions in the Cuban economy; the 1934 trade treaty with the USA had removed tariffs and contributed to the inability of Cuban industry to develop → growing unemployment 6) The role of the USA; in the late 1957 the US government took away their support to Batista; a caretaker government acceptable to the US interest was formed → an arms embargo was placed on both sides → made it difficult to resist Castro

Ideology and the nature of the state Key questions -What role did idology play in Castro´s rise to power before 1959? -Did Castro become a communist after 1959? -What is the nature of Cuba´s Castroist state?

The role of ideology in Castro´s rise before 1959  Richard Gott; nationalism was more important in Castro´s ideology than socialism  Jose MARTI´s influence: Herbert Matthews; Castro´s attack on the Moncada barracks was inspired by patriotism, with aims similar to those of Marti and Guiteras ( served in Grau´s democratic government) 1) Castro´s First Manifesto ” Manifesto of the Revolutionaries of Moncada to the Nation”/ July independence from foreign control - social justice - economic and industrial modernisation - the 1940 Constitution

 2) Castro´s second manifesto ” ” History will absolve me”/ October promises of agrarian reform - rent reductions - industrial development and modernisation - expansion of education and healthcare - taking control of public utilities ( had been mostly under the US control) 3) Several manifestos issued in the Sierra Madre; the manifesto of 1958 to help the unsuccessful 9 April general strike 4) After the Caracas Pact (an united opposition against Batista) a new manifesto with the mention of an agrarian reform ( but no radical socialist policies)

Nationalism and Cubiana  Cubiana; a radical version of Cuban nationalism, refers to the collective national interest of Cuba - meant modernisation; socio-economic and cultural development of Cuba on Cuban terms ( not on the terms of liberal capitalism and foreign imperialism) Before 1959 Castro´s political ideas appear to have been more nationalistic and less radical than those of the closest allies ( Raul and Che) - a Cuban version of ” socialism in one country” - Castro was really inspired by the various Latin and Central America anti-imperialist movements

Did USA make Castro a communist?  Sebastian Balfour; before 1959 Castro hd a radical programme of reform, but no clear view of the future direction of the revolution  After Batista´s fall; president Urrutia´s goverment with moderate members of the 26 July movement, acceptable to the USA aswell  1959 Agrarian reform paved the way for the US anger  USA issued a Note of Protest and began to plan Castro´s overthrow

 USA started CIA sabotage attacks on Cuban sugar mills  Castro began to establish trade links with other countries, including the Soviet Union - e.g. in 1959 Guevara visited various developing countries to find new markets for Cuban sugar - Cuba signed agreements with the Soviet Union together with other Eastern European countries ( SU promised to buy a million tonnes of sugar each year for five years and to provide loans for Cuba) * In June of 1960 Castro nationalised the oil companies, all the US owned properties including sugal mills ( The US had reduced the import quota for Cuban sugar, leaving Cuba with huge anounts of unsold Sugar; SU´s help for that!)

 In Sept. 1960, Castro´s first speech to condemn US imperialism ( ” First declaration of Havana)  US embargo on all exports to Cuba ( except food and medical supplies) imposed in Nov  Castro turned to the Soviet Union; SU promised to buy all the Cuban sugar!  The Bay of Pigs, 1961  The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

Identify the nature of Cuba´s Castroist state  How did Castro´s statements and policies reflect the views of Marx and Engels?  To what extent is it fair to say that Cuba is a democracy?