Group+4+Cuban+Revolution

= Examine the role of Fidel Castro in East/West relations during the Cold War. (1947-1991) =


 * = =Table of Contents= ||
 * = ==Beginning of Cold War and Castro's Rise to Power== ||
 * = ==Increasing tensions between countries== ||
 * = ==Cuban Missile Crisis== ||
 * = ==End of Cold War and Post Events== ||

**1. Introduction**
 Before Fidel Castro, there was Fulgencio Batista, supreme dictator of Cuba. By 1933, his rule was increasingly unpopular among the population, and the Soviet Union began a secret campaign of support for a young student named Fidel Castro. A deduction can be made about this; the United States backed up the regime of Batista, and the Soviet Union wanted to undermine the US economic and political influence in Cuba by supporting the growing influence of Castro. This was the beginning of Castro playing a role in the relations between the US and the Soviet Union. (Wickham-Crowley, 189)

When Castro was finally put into power late 1958/early 1959, the United States and Fidel Castro had already established negative relations. In June 26, 1958- 11 US civilians working for a mining company kidnapped by Cuban rebels led by Fidel Castro. The next day, 24 U.S. Navy enlisted men and marines kidnapped by them as well. By June 30, 1958- Cuban Rebels holding 19 American and Canadian civilians and over 30 US Military men. All the previous attacked were reportedly endorsed by Raul Castro, Fidel's right hand man, leaving the U.S. incredibly suspicious of his motives. When Castro was catapulted to power, the United States government watched fearfully, recognizing that some sort of relationship would undoubtedly occur ( Fursenko and Naftali 2).

2. Beginning of the Cold War/Castro's Rise to Power
April 1959 marked the U.S.'s first official relationship with the new Cuban government. Fidel Castro is invited to America by the American society of Newspaper Editors and he accepts, arriving on April 15, 1959 Castro states he is visiting “to win the support from American public opinion” because he is a man of the people (Fursenko and Naftali 18). At the same time, Raul Castro is in negotiations with the USSR to have Soviet assistance in consolidationg his control of the Cuban army. The U.S did not like Castro’s neutrality in the Cold War, and Eisenhower’s administration wanted to use loans to help Cuba’s economy, hoping that “Good relations might tame Castro." and winning his alliance (Fursenko and Naftali 10).

President Eisenhower was scheduled to have a meeting with Castro on his trip, but the President skipped his meeting with Castro to play in a golf tournament ((Fursenko and Naftali 10). Castro met with Vice President Nixon instead. Nixon listened to Castro talk about the social and economic situation in Cuba, and both parties left the meeting regarding it as pleasant. After Castro's depature however, Nixon states that Castro was "Either incredibly naive about communism or under communist discipline." Nixon believed Castro was naïve. (Fursenko and Naftali 19). Later on his trip, Castro told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he would not expropriate American property. He says he is opposed to dictatorships, and appreciates the fundamental American right of free press.

After leaving the United States, Castro says he had not expected that in the U.S. the “people would have responded so enthusiastically and with such comprehension” (Fursenko and Naftali 17). He allays fears that he is Pro-Soviet, but Assistant Secretary of State Dick Rubottom wonders why Castro would proclaim a desire for independence and then welcome communitsts into his government. He theorizes that Castro is trying to avoid being too friendly so as to not offend his nationalist and revolutionary ties. Nevertheless, Rubottom calls him "an enigma" (Fursenko and Naftali 19).

Although Castro's visit to the United States was considered a success, the fragile diplomacy established then would not lost long. Each country began to do things that alienated the other, in various ways. For one, the Cubans asked the U.S. refineries to produce soviet oil, but they refused, so Cuba expropriates the oil. As a retaliation, the U.S. abolishes the Cuban sugar quota. Cuba then continues with its mass expropriation of U.S. owned properties. This did not bode well with the U.S. Government, and the head of the CIA Allen Dulles suggests that the U.S should buy less sugar if Castro does not “Cooperate” (Fursenko and Naftali 18). In February 1960 Soviet Union’s Anastas Mikoyan visited Cuba and signed a five year trade agreement. In turn the Eisenhower administration began working with anti-Castro groups to overthrow Castro. In March of 1960, a French ship carrying Belgian small arms explodes in Havana harbor. Castro publicly accuses the CIA, fueling the fire of distrust that has emerged between these two countries, only 90 miles apart. The Soviets begin to give Cuba crude oil. Esso and Texaco (British Refineries located on Cuba) would not refine the oil. Castro believes this is the U.S.'s doing, and that they have declared an economic war on Cuba. In July 1960 Cuba passes a nationalization law that provides for the “Expropriation of foreign holdings in Cuba. Eisenhower cut the U.S’s use of Cuban sugar by 95%, reducing Cuba’s U.S exports by 80%, fulfilling the threat Dulles had earlier suggested (Fursenko and Naftali 25). The USSR decides to buy the sugar that the U.S dropped. To help the Cuban economy- increasing relations between USSR and Cuba. The relations between all three countries continually get worse, and in August 16 1960, the CIA’s first “Known” assassination attempt on Castro occurs. The method? Poison cigars. The U.S. continued to rail against Cuba fiercely, in October 1960 creating first U.S. economic embargo against Cuba.

**a. BAY OF PIGS**
On March 17 1960, President Eisenhower approved a CIA plan titled "A Program of Covert Action against the Castro Regime." The attack started April 15, 1960 and Castro claims Cuba was prepared. On that day US B-26 bombers – disguised by the CIA as Cuban planes -- attacked four air bases simultaneously. Castro says that the planes were hidden and that the planes blown up by the US were old planes. This may or may not be true, but Castro had a good idea either way. The US representative at the UN flat out denied an attack. The CIA did a great job with the disguises. At the time there was no concrete proof that there was any US involvement. The photographs taken during the event showed that the attackers were in Cuban planes; this we now know is not the case. We know the truth because Kennedy copped up to it. The real invasion began on April 16. 1,400 Cuban exiles planned to pour into Cuba and strike. They were split up into six teams. Coral reefs were not accounted for in planning and two ships sank. This lost the exiles some heavy weapons and gave Cuban's extra time to prepare. Now the Cubans were in better positions then the exiles. The “Surprise” attack had lost its most basic element. Of the 1,400 invaders, 114 were killed at 1,189 were captured. Although it’s pretty obvious that the US was involved there is still plausible deniability. This is because no US troops were present during the invasion. This incident proves that Castro is a much more capable leader then previously thought. He can handle his country. After the invasion Castro has this to say "The United States has no right to meddle in our domestic affairs. We do not speak English and we do not chew gum. We have a different tradition, a different culture, our own way of thinking. We have no borders with anybody. Our frontier is the sea, very clearly defined.” Castro tells the US to leave Cuba alone.

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/baypigs/pigs.htm US Cost for the Bay of Pigs $4,400,000 – Initial budget $950,000 – Political action $1,700,000 – Propaganda $1,500,000 – Parliamentary $250,000 – Intelligence collection $46,000,000 – Paid by US taxpayers 

http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/baypigs/pigs.htm

**b. SOVIET AND U.S. RELATIONS**
After the Bay of Pigs catastrophe, newly elected U.S. President John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev meet in Vienna on June 3 and 4, 1961. The meeting  was supposed to create an alliance, but the countries ended up becoming more opposed. Khrushchev accused US of supporting cruel dictators such as Batista and Spanish dictator Fransisco Franco (Carter 16). He demanded that Berlin be united with East German, and Kennedy refused. Khrushchev then proceeds to build the Berlin Wall. Kennedy retaliates by publicizing the fact that the US had more nuclear weapons than the USSR, seeing as the US had hundreds of ICBM's (Intercontinental ballistic missiles), and USSR had only 25. On October 30 1961 the USSR resumed nuclear tests, and the U.S. was quick to follow (Carter 17).

After the failed meeting with Khrushchev and the disastrous Bay of Pigs fiasco, President Kennedy finds it necessary to create an alternative plan to get tough with Castro and the USSR. With the help of the CIA, Kennedy creates Operation Mongoose: a CIA plan to weaken the Cuban government through sabotage (Carter 15). If Civil War broke out in Cuba, the U.S. was prepared to come and defeat Castro. The operation was launched in November 1961, and all efforts of assassination failed. It became evident to Kennedy that further action must be taken to defeat the "dangerous nationalist" Fidel Castro (Fursenko and Naftali 6). Castro was aware of the U.S. hostility, and asked Khrushchev for protection if the U.S. did attack. Khrushchev went a step further. On May 21, 1962 he formed a plan to arm Cuba with Soviet nuclear missiles (Carter 18). 

4. Cuban Missile Crisis
On Tuesday, October 16, 1962 at 11:50 AM, U.S. President John F. Kennedy witnessed aerial photographs showing Soviet-planted nuclear warheads on Cuban soil, aimed at the United States (Carter 4). The CIA estimated that the missles had a range of 1,174 miles, making the eastern seaboard an easy target (Dobbs 4). This was the moment where all three previously described nations- the United States, the Soviet Union and Cuba- all came into play. It was this incident that would determine how the countries would react, and what would occur. Kennedy formed a group called "Ex-Comm", short for Executive Committee of the United States Security Council." (Carter 20). Kennedy and these fourteen men debated in secret for hours on how to respond. On October 17, 1962, the majority opinion was to create an invasion, and forty U.S. warships were headed to Puerto Rico for a practice invasion of Cuba (Dobbs 17) . But by October 22, Kennedy had decided that a blockade was a safer option (Carter 24). That same day, Nikita Khrushchev panicked in Moscow because the Americans had found out about their plan too soon, making him fear a "big war" was about to occur. (Dobbs 34).

On October 23, 1962, Kennedy sent another U-2 plane to take more concrete aerial photographs of the missile cites in order to achieve more widespread support for a demolition of said sites (Dobbs 63). While the Cubans had no doubt that the Americans could attack in any minute, they continued to build their offense, creating more missile sites throughout the night, wit hteh help of 42, 822 Soviet troops (Dobbs 66). The Cuban elites, such as President Dorticos and Fidel Castro, assured the Cuban people of Cuba's unequivocal nuclear power (Dobbs 80).



  By October 24, 1962, Kennedy's national speech regarding the blockade had been recieved with mass support (Carter 25). 39 hours after the speech, the blockade went into effect (Carter 28). After the Soviets learned of this, several ships headed for Cuba, carrying nuclear missiles, turned back be cause they did not want their valueble weapons in American hands (Carter 28). Khrushchev pledged that Soviet submarines would sink U.S. ships if they enforced the blockade. Defying the weak image Khrushchev had given him a year ago, Kennedy pursued the submarines with naval destroyers (Dobbs 94)." The Soviet submarines turned back, and Ex-comm member Dean Rusk famously remarked: "We're eyeball to eyeball, and I think the other fellow just blinked." (Carter 28).

On October 25, 1962, The almost complete lack of word from Washington regarding Soviet Forces on the island suggested to the Cubans that the United States was attempting to frame the ultimate attack in the context of US-Cuban antagonism. This was a superpower crisis, and in Castro’s eyes, Kennedy should not be allowed to get away with igonoring the Soviet Union. For this reason, Castro pushed his men to hastily install more nuclear missiles, ready to attack. (Fursenko and Naftali 269).

On October 26, 1962, Kennedy went a step further by enforcing the blockade on other countries headed to Cuba (Carter 29). While Khrushchev was in retreat, Castro gave his men permission to shoot at U.S. planes flying over Cuba, which Khrushchev deemed a mistake, stating it was clear that "Fidel totally failed to understand our purpose" (Carter 29). By October 27, 1962, Ex-Comm felt confident that the Soviets would remove the missiles (Carter 30).   The next day-Saturday, October 27, 1962- ExComm was fairly certain that the Soviets were willing to strike a deal. Khrushchev's statement came at 4:00 PM that day. He assured Kennedy that Cuban-bound Soviet ships would not carry any weapons, so long as the United States promised to not invade Cuba. Kennedy was apprehensive about this, and refused the deal. The next day, Khrushchev proposed a completely different plan: the USSR would remove the missiles, the U.S. would remove its outdated Jupiter missiles in Turkey as well (Carter 32). The U.S. was concerned about Khrushchev's flip-flopping, and refused this deal as well. Throughout the day, many finite revisions to the deal occured, each one being rejected by either party, inching the world closer to a World War III. Finally though, on Sunday October 28, 1963, Khrushchev sent a final letter simply saying that the Soviets would dismantle the weapons, and have United Nations inspectors witness to assure the United States they would go through with the plan.

Fidel Castro was furious at Khrushchev and felt betrayed by him. He wanted to block the UN inspectors' entry, but Khruschev convinced him otherwise, assuaging Castro's fears. He reported that the U.S. had promised not to attack Cuba, and if they did, the Soviet Union would defend Cuba no matter what. (Carter 36).

By March 1963, President Kennedy had removed the Jupiters from Turkey secretly, upholding a promise he had made to Khrushchev after Khrushchev's final negotiation letter. At the end of the Cuban missile crisis, the United States and the USSR were at uneasy peace, with Cuban relations still harshly dividing them. Castro remained staunchly Anti-American and Pro-Soviet. While he was not a direct negotiator, Castro's prescence in the Cold War was imperative, and historically monumental. It would affect U.S., Soviet, and Cuban relations for the rest of the century (Carter 42).

5. End of Cold War/Post events
The Mariel Boatlift began on April 15, 1980 and ended October 31, 1980 with 125,000 Cubans arriving to Southern Florida from the Port of Mariel, Cuba. Fidel Castro withdrew his guard from the Peruvian embassy in Havana on April 4th amidst growing dissent and a failing economy with housing problems and job shortages. It was supposed to serve as a warning to the US that trouble was in Cuba, but this signal was not noticed. 48 hours later, tons of Cubans went to the Embassy, requesting asylum. Fidel permitted anyone who wanted to leave Cuba free access to the port at Mariel. Hundreds of small vessels left the port on its way to the US. As a result of this, the Coast Guard endeavored on its largest operation in peacetime ever. When the Mariel Boat Lift ended, 125,000 Cubans had made the journey and only 27 died. Later in 1984, Cuba and the US negotiated an agreement to resume the normal immigration process. Also, those people who were excludable under US law were sent back to Cuba. [] This was the start of many immigration battles between the US and Cuba that would keep on intensifying up till the present day. 

From the time of the 1959 Revolution to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Cuban economy was heavily dependent on the trade relations with the U.S.S.R. The Soviet assistance offset the negative impact the US Embargo had on Cuba and accounted for almost 1/4 of Cuba's national income. However, with the Soviet union clooapsing, the US embargo played a more promient role in Cuba's energy crisis. Cuba's foreign trade fell 75 percent and the economic output feel 50 percent. The people of Cuba, mostly the young and elderly, had an average consumption of 1,450 calories a day, in which the recommended mininum is 2,100-2,300 calories a day. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/oct1998/ao255h.pd

In 1993 Cuba instituted a new form of cooperative called the Basic Unit of Cooperative Production (UBPC). This brought along the process of breaking up large state farms. The land title stays with the state, but the cooperatives have right to use land and make production decisions. The producers sell surplus production after they give a specific amount to the state. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/oct1998/ao255h.pd

As a result from these changes, GDP growth, consumption and production are on the rise and are showing signs of recovery. Cuba's exports are more diverse (going to different places and countries) with half of the exports going to Europe. Tourism is now the biggest source of gross foreign exchange, making 1.4 billion dollars compared to 900 million dollars earned form sugar. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/oct1998/ao255h.p

However, many problems still remain. The trade deficit still cntinues, energy is not readilty availble, and foreign exchange problems exist. Food production is still not up to par, infrastructure is in poor condition and the US embargo is still being enforced. Cuba and Fidel Castro have been forced to trade with other neighboring countries to offset the blockade by the US navy. The US says it will begin normalizing relations once Cuba has a government committed to economic and political reform. http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/oct1998/ao255h.pd Once that was achieved, economic sanctions would then be suspended. Through this, relations between the US and the UN should be improved, in part due to the fact that the UN has overwhelmingly said the US embargo of Cuba was wrong. It is an economic battle, but it is also a political battle.

In the summer of 1994, 30,000 Cubans tried to enter the US. The immigration agreement between the US and Cuba had one main provision: Cuba p romised to do a better job preventing Cubans from leaving the country. If the Cubans weren’t successful in reaching the US, the Cuban government would not hold a reprisal against the returning Cubans. However, the policy of “wet foot, <span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> dry foot”, in which if a Cuban reaches US soil he can stay in the US, was very controversial in the sense that a criminal from Cuba could leave his country and escape any judicial punishment. In 1994, the US set up a quota of 20,000 immigrant visas for Cubans. There was also 5,000 of that number that were based on a lottery system. However, this system was not used again after 1995 for reasons unknown. [] This was an improvement in relations between Cuba and the US on the idea of people’s rights, but it was a small step indeed.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">[] The visit from the Pope was seen as one of saving the masses of Catholics that have been facing Persecution since 1959. Church properties were confiscated through Cuba's policy of collectivization, and religious personnel were expelled and the faithful were prosecuted. Catholics were denied schooling and employment and the Church was forbidden from having public worship and ceremonies. In 1969, the Cuban government decided to declare Christmas not a public holiday. Pope John Paul's visit after 39 years of repression and hostility was welcomed with millions and millions showing up to hear him speak and perform mass. [] According to Sebastian Balfour, it was a "synchronising secular and sacred time." (Balfour, 125)

1999: Elián González- proof relations between cuba and US are still harsh In November 1999, Elian Gonzalez was picked up from the sea after the boat he was riding capsized en route from Cuba. The sinking of the boat killed his mother as well as 10 other Cubans trying to enter the United States illegally. Later on, heavily armed U.S. agents broke into Elian's uncle's house in Miami and, with the order sent by the U.S. attorney-general Janet Reno, was sent back to Cuba to be with his father. http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/2005/04/25/speech.shtml His custody battle turned into a US-Cuban fight, partly in fact due to the comments made on 60 minutes by the attorney-general Janet Reno. She stated Castro as the "father" of Elian. This quick, brief event in 1999 brought up questions of immigration in the United States Congress that is still being debated today. []


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End of Cold War and Post Events
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__Works Cited__
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Bay of Pigs, April, 1961 - History of Cuba." Web. 6 Sept. 2009. <http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/baypigs/pigs.htm>. "BBC NEWS | Americas | Timeline: US-Cuba relations." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">BBC NEWS | News Front Page // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 6 Sept. 2009. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3182150.stm>. "Cuban Immigration to the United States." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">United States Immigration: Green Card, Visas and U.S. Citizenship // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 9 Sept. 2009. <http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/cubaimmigration.html>. "Elian Gonzalez." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The Real Cuba // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 9 Sept. 2009. <http://www.therealcuba.com/elian_gonzalez.htm>. "ERS/USDA" //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">USDA Economic Research Service - Home Page // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 11 Sept. 2009. <http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/agoutlook/oct1998/ao255h.pd>. "Gorbachev-Castro Face-Off: A Clash of Style and Policies - The New York Times." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 12 Sept. 2009. <http://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/02/world/gorbachev-castro-face-off-a-clash-of-style-and-policies.html>. "Mariel Boatlift." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">GlobalSecurity.org - Reliable Security Information // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 13 Sept. 2009. <http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/mariel-boatlift.htm>. "Pope John Paul II in CUBA." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Home // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 13 Sept. 2009. <http://ordendemaltacuba.com/governanceofthecubanassociation.aspx>. "Pope John Paul II Visits Cuba." //<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">American Catholic: Franciscan Media: Catholic News Magazine Books Videos // <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">. Web. 13 Sept. 2009. <http://www.americancatholic.org/features/cuba/>. Wickham-Crowley, Timothy P. __Guerillas and revolution in Latin America.__ New York: Princeton University Press, 1993. "Castro and cuba." Casahistoria home | history topic links for students of modern history | IB A level & college history | the history home. Web. 03 Sept. 2009. < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">:>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">"Cuba, Castro and Eisenhower." MacroHistory : World History. Web. 03 Sept. 2009. < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">[] <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">>. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Dobbs, Michael. One Minute to Midnight Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro on the Brink of Nuclear War. New York: Knopf, 2008. Print. Max, Frankel,. High noon in the Cold War Kennedy, Khrushchev, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. New York: Ballantine Books, 2004. Print. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 130%;">Fursenko, Aleksandr, and Timothy J. Naftali. One Hell of a Gamble Khrushchev, Castro, and Kennedy, 1958-1964. Boston: W. W. Norton & Company, 1998. J., Carter, E. Cuban Missile Crisis. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2004.

Picture sources
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