1. Cuban Revolution CUBA IN THE COLD WAR

2. IB Objectives
The Cuban Revolution: political, social, economic causes; impact on the region
Rule of Fidel Castro: political, economic, social and cultural policies; treatment of minorities; successes and failures
Compare leaders of totalitarian/single-party states
Role in Cold War

3. IB Paper 2 Sample Questions
Assess the importance of the cult of personality in the maintenance of power of one of the following: Mao; Castro; Perón.
“Strong economic policies are the key reason for a single-party state leader maintaining power.” With reference to either Hitler or Castro, to what extent do you agree with this statement?
Compare and contrast the domestic policies of two of the following: Castro; Kenyatta; Stalin.
With reference to one left-wing totalitarian state, examine its impact on the lives of its citizens.

4. IB Paper 2 Sample Questions
Examine the methods used by either Nasser or Castro to maintain power.
Examine the successes and failures of either Perón or Castro as leader of an authoritarian or single-party state.
Discuss (a) the support for, and (b) the ideology of, one left-wing ruler of a single-party state.

5. IB Paper 3 Sample Questions
Analyse the successes and failures of Castro’s social and economic policies in the period
For what reasons, and with what results for the economy of Cuba, did Castro become ruler of Cuba?
“Fidel Castro came to power in Cuba because of the weaknesses of Batista’s regime.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
Assess the reasons for the long survival of Fidel Castro’s regime in Cuba.

6. IB Paper 3 Sample Questions
“By 1962 Castro’s domestic policy had successfully transformed Cuba.” To what extent do you agree with this statement?
How and why did Fidel Castro rise to power in 1959?

7. Cuba is a large island in the Caribbean Sea
Cuba is a large island in the Caribbean Sea. It is close to the United States, only 90 miles away from Florida.

8. Long-term Causes
Sugar
Socioeconomic inequalities
Anti-U.S. feeling
Political corruption

9. Sugar Production The major export of Cuba Owned by the elite
Backed by American capital
US purchased more than ½ of Cuban sugar
Only allowed to sell certain quota of the sugar in American markets
Led to trade deficit

10. Socioeconomic Inequalities
Large gap between rich and poor
Majority of the population was impoverished
Superior life for the Cuban elite
Members of the Cuban upper class

11. Anti-American Feelings
War history
Resentment towards U.S. control
Imperialistic attitude

12. Political Corruption Fulgencio Batista’s regime
Revocation of democracy
Shady casinos
Fulgencio Batista

13. Fidel Castro Revolutionary leader Against Batista’s politics
Orthodoxo Party
Built up resistance slowly
With his convincing speeches
Fidel Castro

14. Moncada Barracks
July, 1953
Plan was to storm barracks and seize the armory
Led by resistance forces
Castro was a key member
Failure
Everyone was either killed or captured
Brought Castro and the cause to fame

15. Ernest “Che” Guevara Doctor Met Castro in Mexico
Joined in on 26th of July Movement
Rose among the resistance
Later appointed President of the National Bank

16. 26th of July Movement

17. 26th of July Movement Castro and 82 of his men returned to Cuba
Not in time to coordinate with other attacks
Ambushed
Only 12 men left
Forced Castro and Fidelistas into Sierra Maestra mountains

18. 26th of July Movement Guerilla attacks Gained power through media
Organized strikes
May 1958 – Batista sent his final offensive, which failed
Castro was on the offensive
Jan 1, 1959 – Batista fled

19. Castro’S Rise to Power Havana University Law Student – 1945 (20 years)
Haven for political gangs
1947 joined political party
1952 ran for election to Parliament
Batista Coup d'état before election
Castro conspired against Batista
Demonstrated extraordinary ability as a speaker
American influence and mafia corrupted the government
Wanted to use democracy in order to crush it

20. Castro In Power Had said he didn’t want a spot in the government
Appointed himself as president
Annulled some elections that had occurred before

21. Castro’s Reforms Literacy movement Made Cuba a one party government
Banned elections
Land reform
Banned religion

22. Closer to USSR Became close friends with Khrushchev
Made the Soviet Union Cuba’s main trading partner
Khrushchev thought of Cuba as the beacon for Communism in Latin America

23. Estranged from US US backed Batista until final moment
President Eisenhower refuses to see Castro
US imposes embargo
Castro nationalizes American companies in Cuba
US nervous about a country with socialist reforms so close

25. Bay of pigs

26. Bay of Pigs-April 1961 CIA failed operation
Sent in 1400 Cuban Americans who were supposed to kill Castro
Underestimated Cuban efficiency and loyalty to Castro
US alienated Castro and Cuba

27. CUBAN Missile Crisis: A Brief Chronology
May, 1962: Khrushchev makes veiled references to a plot (How would the U.S. feel to have missiles pointing at them, as they have missiles pointed at us?)
September: JFK and Congress issue warnings to USSR that US will deal harshly with any threats to national security
October 14: U2 recon. flight over Cuba spots sites installing nuclear missiles
October 15: Presence of missiles is confirmed

28. The Missiles: One Site

29. Chronology, Continued October 16: President Kennedy notified
October 16-22: Secret deliberations on what should be done
October 22: Kennedy tells nation his plan for blockade and quarantine
October 23: OAS endorses naval quarantine
October 24: Naval quarantine begins and successfully changes course of many Soviet ships

30. Chronology, Continued
October 25: One Soviet ship challenges naval quarantine; Kennedy lets it pass
October 25: At the UN, Adlai Stevenson directly challenges the Soviet ambassador to admit to the existence of missiles, when the ambassador refuses, Stevenson wheels out pictures of the missile sites
October 26: Soviets raise possibility for a deal: if we withdraw missiles will America promise not to invade Cuba?

31. Chronology, Continued
October 27: Soviets demand that Americans also withdraw missiles from Turkey; Major Anderson’s plane is missing over Cuba, presumably shot down; U.S. recon plane strays over Soviet airspace…high tensions
Kennedy tells Khrushchev that he will accept the proposal of the 26th, Kennedy tells his brother to tell the Soviet Ambassador that though the Turkey missiles would not be part of the bargain, they would be removed in time
October 28: USSR agrees to withdraw missiles

33. Sergei Khrushchev Y