Cuba essays

Cuba essays The Cuban revolutionaries, led by Fidel Castro, took over the Cuban government on December 2, 1959 and put a strict communist regime into effect. In the midst of the cold war, this Soviet ally so close to American soil is a major cause of fear. The revolution was the outcome of the oppressive rule by Batista y Zaldà ­var, Fulgencio. Batista was a dictator, much like Castro later turned out to be, who took away the "human rights" of his citizens, and effected some other social reforms. Castro overturned the dictatorship of Batista on December 2, 1959 and at first seemed to be a moderate leftist. However, once in power he became increasingly radical, executing and imprisoning thousands of political opponents, nationalizing industry, collectivizing agriculture, and establishing a one-party socialist state that drove large numbers of middle- and upper-class Cubans into exile. He was especially hostile to the United States, which had been friendly to Batista and had frequently int ervened in Cuban affairs. After the Castro government seized U.S.-owned oil refineries, sugar mills, and electric utilities in 1960, the United States stopped buying Cuban sugar and imposed an economic embargo on the island nation. The United States backed an unsuccessful attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Castro in 1961. In the early 1960s Castro openly embraced Communism and formed close ties with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), relying increasingly on Soviet economic and military aid. However, when the Soviets began to allow some free enterprise, Castro disagreed and broke away from the Soviet Union. This led to a severe decline in the Cuban economy, and loss of support of as many Cuban citizens for the communist system. Fidel Castro remains in control today, not letting people in or out of Cuba. ...