Corruption, Castro, and the Cold War Cuba Corruption, Castro, and the Cold War

Cuba 1940s Democratic Tropical paradise Open ties with U.S

Fulgencio Batista President in 1940 Ran again in 1952 Improved economy with war time trade with the U.S Purified corrupt government Ran again in 1952 Low chance of winning Military started a coup and abolished their constitution, making Batista the dictator

Fidel Castro Born august 13, 1926 Went to University of Havana in 1945 Revolution Rode to the Dominican Republic to over throw a dictatorship Led Cuban Revolution

Cuban Revolution Fidel, his brother Raul, and 135 other armed Cubans Attacked Moncada Military barracks July 26 1953 Intended to storm barracks, seize their wepons, and use it as a base to mount their revolution

Cuban Revolution Pt. 2 61 revolutionaries killed Of the remaining 74 over half were captured and either jailed or executed, and the rest escaped Castro himself was sentenced to 15 years in jail, but he was release on an amnesty after two years

Cuban Revolution Pt. 3 Four years after he was released he decided to try again This time it succeeded Batista had left a divided military collapsed in upon itself The constitution of the 1940s was reinstated

Castro’s Cuba Brought Cuban economy and politics to new heights, at the expense of its citizens Executions, imprisonments, and forced emigrations of opposition Declared self a Marxist Leninist in 1961, otherwise known as communism Began supporting Soviet Union in 1968

U.S. intervention Prime force against Communism Bay of pigs Cuba just 90 miles off of the Florida Keys Bay of pigs A “covert” U.S. action against Cuba Army of Cuban Defectors gathered Trained, armed and given ships by the U.S. Leaked out to the press, and multiple stories were run Castro found out, mobilized troops, and crushed the attack Horrible embarrassment to Kennedy

Cuban Missile Crisis Suspicious of their aid to soviets U-2 aircraft flown over Cuba and photographed multiple missile sites These pictures shown to Kennedy on October 16 Three sites: 2 medium range ballistic missile sites Capable of firing up to 1,845 miles 1 intermediate range ballistic missile site Capable of firing up to 3,400 miles

Range

Reaction Declared any Missiles fired by Cuba would be considered a direct assault by the soviet union Second U-2 reconnaissance plane flown over Retaliation preparation B-52 bombers Entire U.S. nuclear arsenal deployed and prepped for counter attack

“Quarantine Needed to set up a blockade to prevent the delivery of any weapons Couldn’t, so called it a quarantine, but ran it like a blockade, and prevented anything but vital supplies from being shipped in

Diplomacy Met with Russia Final agreement reached October 30th Russia asked for fair deal, they pull their weapons out if we do the same Kennedy couldn’t give in publicly because it would make him look weak Final agreement reached October 30th Official version: Cuba is disarmed if we don’t attack them Real version: we remove our missiles from Turkey as well