The Cuban Revolution

It’s the 1950s, in Cuba. Military dictator Fulgencio Batista is in power. The United States has long been heavily involved in the country. Although Cuba gained independence in 1902, the United States still has the power to intervene in Cuba’s politics and to supervise the country’s finances. Much of Cuba’s industry is American owned — including over 90 percent of its telephone and electric services.

The United States also controls Cuba’s main export: sugar. Batista supports US interests in Cuba, and therefore America supports him. But most Cubans despise Batista. He favours the country’s richest, while the poor grow poorer. Under his rule, anyone suspected of communist activity is beaten, tortured, or murdered.

Some call for revolution. Among them is a young lawyer, Fidel Castro. Castro wants to free Cuba from its oppressive leader and from US control. He is prepared to do so through an armed uprising. Castro gathers a group of rebel fighters.

And on 26 July, 1953, they attack a military barracks in the south of Cuba. The attack is a disaster; Batista’s army kills most of the rebels. The survivors, Castro among them, are captured and given long prison terms. But they are freed just two years later — Batista is keen to show the world that Cuba is politically stable, and under no threat from internal troublemakers. On his release, Castro flees to Mexico to regroup and make new plans for the revolution.

In Mexico, Castro meets with other Cuban exiles, as well as an anti-American, pro-communist activist from Argentina: Che Guevara. Guevara and the exiles join Castro’s rebellion, which has now named itself the 26th of July Movement after the date of its first attack. In November 1956, the rebels set out for Cuba, ready to start a revolutionary war. Batista receives word of the rebels’ journey and readies his troops. When the rebels arrive, they are bombarded by helicopters and aeroplanes.

Most are captured or killed. Castro, Guevara, and a few others survive. They flee to the Sierra Maestra mountains. From their mountain base, the rebels gather new supporters and launch attacks on military targets. Meanwhile, other revolutionary groups attack government sites across Cuba.

One group, called the Revolutionary Directorate, storms the presidential palace to try and assassinate Batista. They fail, but the wave of anti-government activity tells Batista he is losing control of the country. In 1958, he sends troops into the mountains in a last-ditch effort to flush out Castro and his forces. But the hardened rebels fight the troops back. Some soldiers switch sides to join Castro’s cause.

It becomes clear that Batista’s army is under equipped and outnumbered. Realising he cannot win, Batista gives up his leadership and flees the country. In January 1959, the rebels move into Havana and take control of Cuba. Castro forms a new, communist government. Determined to remove all remnants of Batista, he begins arresting and killing Batista’s old supporters.

Many flee Cuba for the United States. Castro also sets to work freeing the country from US influence. He puts all US-owned businesses under the control of the government. This way, Castro aims to put more money in the pockets of regular citizens, instead of Americans and the corrupt upper classes. The US government refuses to accept the presence of a communist government in Cuba.

It stops US businesses trading with Cuba by imposing an embargo. Where will Cuba sell all its sugar now? A new buyer quickly steps forward – the Soviet Union. Over the next three decades, Cuba will form a growing alliance with the Soviets – the United States’ biggest enemy in the ongoing Cold War.