The Cuban Revolution (1952-58)

The 60s were a turbulent time period for the United States. This was the heyday of the Cold War and the US had serious concerns about the communist government that had been established off its southern shores in Cuba (the Bay of Pigs incident, the Cuba missile crisis, and economic sanctions were all a result of this tension). The communist (actually, it is socialist) government of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro had its beginnings
– like many governments – in the fires of revolution. Cuba of the 1950s was in the hands of Fulgencio Batista. He was a dictator who wasn’t particularly popular with the people. During a period from 1952 until 1958, Fidel Castro and his band of rebels (one of a number of anti-Batista groups) led a competent guerilla campaign from the mountains against the government. The military victories, however, were only one factor that would eventually lead to success for Castro. Brilliantly (because it worked), Castro was also able to establish a network of international support for his cause (including the US). It was this international support that convinced Batista that his cause was a losing one and following in the footsteps of other dictators, found somewhere else to be before a bullet found him. Castro assumed the mantle of President and flipped a switch that apparently no one saw coming by establishing a communist (as opposed to a democratic) government in the country. Castro cut off ties with the US and pretty much ended the US’s age old influence in Cuban affairs. To the US’s consternation, Castro’s reign continues to this day despite several attempts to end it over the years.