Transcript Gale World History In Context

Fidel Castro
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By: Addison Craig
& Pragya Chaudhari
Fidel Castro Early Life
Fidel Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 in
Biràn Cuba to Angel Castro y Argiz and Lina
Ruz Gonzáles.
 In 1945 Castro enrolled at the University of
Havana law school, where he immediately
plunged into campus and national politics.
 Student political activism on campus, often
violent and marked by extremist ideologies, had
always been an influential factor in Cuban
national politics.

Rise to Power
Early in 1952, Castro began campaigning for a seat in
congress as a replacement for Orthodox party leader
Eduardo Chibàs,
 March 10,1953- General Batista and a group of army
conspirators overthrew the regime of Cuban president
Carlos Prío Socarràs.
 For Castro, violence seemed the only way to oppose the
military coup so he organized a group of followers and
on July 26, 1953, attacked the Moncada military barracks
in Oriente Province.
 Castro was captured and sentenced to 15 years in prison.
During his trial he delivered a lengthy defense in what
would become his most famous speech, La historia me
absolverà, attacking Batista's regime and outlining his
own political and economic ideas

Rise to Power
After Castro was released in 1955, he was exiled to
Mexico City. Here he started to plan an expedition
against Batista in which he called the 26th of July
Movement.
 Dec. 2, 1956- Castro, his brother Raul, and 80 other
men went to Oriente Province.
 With only 12 remaining, the rest of which were
killed or captured, Castro fled to the Sierra Maestra,
forming a plan of guerrilla operation.
 During his time in the mountains, there was an
increase in opposition to Batista’s regime and
students and followers of Prío attacked the
Presidential Palace on March 13, 1957 where they
nearly succeeded in killing Batista

Rise to Power
Castro emerged as the undisputed leader of the
anti-Batista opposition, and his guerrillas
increased their control over rural areas.
 April 9, 1958- Castro called a national strike,
which was called off after Batista ordered strikers
to be shot on sight, causing massive shootings.
 The regime fell on December 31 when Batista’s
army became defected.

Rise to Power
January 1, 1959- Castro and his July 26th movement
assumed power, proclaimed a provisional government,
and began public trials and executions of "criminals" of
the Batista regime.
 February 15- Castro replaced José Mirò Cardona as prime
minister and appointed his own brother, Raùl Castro, as
commander of the armed forces.
 Castro emphasized in his speeches about morality and
public virtue also the importance of committing to
democracy and social reform.
 He also promised free elections

Castro in Power
Castro denied that he was a communist and
promoted the idea that the revolution was
humanistic promising his followers a
nationalistic government.
 This way the government would respect private
property in Cuba and to uphold its international
obligations.
 Castro reduced residential rents and passes
agrarian reform law that confiscated inherited
property. In reality the areas seized into state
farms and farmers became government
employees.

Castro in Power
By 1959 a radicalization of the revolution had
begun to take place. Defective military leaders
were replaced by radical and communist
militants.
 Castro reached out to other communist countries
including the Soviet Union.
 The United States refused refine Soviet
petroleum and in return Castro took control of
the American oil refineries in Cuba.
 January 3, 1961- U.S. President Dwight
Eisenhower broke relations with Cuba.

Castro in Power
The failure of the invasion of the Bay of Pigs by
President John F. Kennedy confirmed Castro’s
Power and he declared his regime as a socialist.
 This led to Private schools falling under
government control and an increase in
educational facilities, and a nationwide literacy
campaign.
 Sanitation and health improved with the
establishment of rural hospitals and clinics.
 Religious institutions were suppressed and
clergymen expelled from the island.

Castro in Power
In December 1961 Castro declared himself to be a
Marxist Leninist. He combined all groups that
fought against Batista and transformed them into
the Communist Party of Cuba.
 In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis strained
relations between Cuba and Soviet Union.
 Castro allowed the U.S.S.R. to install nuclear
missiles which were medium range aimed
towards the United States.
 Castro felt humiliated when President JFK
protested to remove the missiles.

Castro in Power
After the Havana Conference in 1964, the Soviet
Union had successfully slowed down Castro’s
support system in arming South America.
 By 1966 Castro founded in Havana the AsiaAfrica-Latin America People's Solidarity
Organization to promote revolution on three
continents.
 In July 1967 he formed the Latin American
Solidarity Organization to prevent violence in
Latin America.
 Castro's efforts were unsuccessful, as
demonstrated by the failure of Che Guevara's
guerrilla campaign in Bolivia in 1967.

Castro in Power



One of Castro's goals was to remove opposition
to his rule, which he accomplished not only with
executions and imprisonments, but through
forced emigrations.
In April 1980, Castro opened the port of Mariel
for outsiders to help the exiled Cubans in Florida
to sail back for their family.
Castro took advantage of this situation and
loaded the boats with prison inmates and
psychiatric patients.
Castro in Power
In the early 1990s, Castro’s revolution began to
lose momentum. Without the support of Soviet
Union, Cuba’s economy had to deal with an
increase in inflation and unemployment.
 Castro visited the United States in 1996 to invite
all Cuban exiles to return back to Cuba
 This restored stability in Cuba and he was able
to regain support from his people.
 In the fall of 2002, there were signs that Castro
might outlive the U.S. trade embargo against
Cuba

Castro in Power
This three day food fair brought Americans
to Cuba hoping for new markets. But the
Bush administration opposed ties with
Cuba.
 Castro made his last public appearnce
before turning ill when he attended the
organization meeting for the capitalist trade
agreement promoted by the United Sates.
 Castro turned 80 in 2006 and his brother,
Raul, took his position.

Discuss the Successes and Failures of Fidel
Castro
Introduction
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

Cuba was under bad conditions which led to Castro’s rise. February 15- Castro
replaced José Mirò Cardona as prime minister and appointed his own
brother, Raùl Castro, as commander of the armed forces.
When Batista’s regime had failed Castro became the undisputed leader.
He was a successful speaker and his speeches were appreciated by the Cubans.
Attempting to consolidate his support inside Cuba, Castro introduced
several reforms.
Castro emphasized in his speeches about morality and public virtue also the
importance of committing to democracy and social reform
Successes
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Castro reduced residential rents and passes agrarian reform law that confiscated inherited
property. In reality the areas seized into state farms and farmers became government
employees
By 1959 a radicalization of the revolution had begun to take place. Defective military
leaders were replaced by radical and communist militants.
Castro reached out to other communist countries including the Soviet Union.
Sanitation and health improved with the establishment of rural hospitals and clinics.
Religious institutions were suppressed and clergymen expelled from the island.
In December 1961 Castro declared himself to be a Marxist Leninist. He combined all
groups that fought against Batista and transformed them into the Communist Party of
Cuba.
By1966 Castro founded in Havana the Asia-Africa-Latin America People's Solidarity
Organization to promote revolution on three continents.
In July 1967 he formed the Latin American Solidarity Organization to prevent violence in
Latin America.
One of Castro's goals was to remove opposition to his rule, which he accomplished not
only with executions and imprisonments, but through forced emigrations.
In April 1980, Castro opened the port of Mariel for outsiders to help the exiled Cubans
in Florida to sail back for their family.
Castro took advantage of this situation and loaded the boats with prison inmates and
psychiatric patients.
Failures
• The United States refused refine Soviet petroleum
• January 3, 1961- U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower broke relations with Cuba.
• In 1962, the Cuban Missile Crisis strained relations between Cuba and Soviet
Union.
• Castro felt humiliated when President JFK protested to remove the missiles.
• After the Havana Conference in 1964, the Soviet Union had successfully slowed
down Castro’s support system in arming South America.
• Castro's efforts were unsuccessful, as demonstrated by the failure of Che
Guevara's guerrilla campaign in Bolivia in 1967.
• In the early 1990s, Castro’s revolution began to lose momentum. Without the
support of Soviet Union, Cuba’s economy had to deal with an increase in
inflation and unemployment.
• The three day food fair brought Americans to Cuba hoping for new markets.
But the Bush administration opposed ties with Cuba.
Conclusion





Castro had many plans for Cuba many of which went on to become
successful, others failed miserably.
For a long time the economy in Cuba was successful due to Castro’s ties with
the Soviet Union.
Conditions with the U.S. have yet to improve.
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere Dan Fisk
accused Cuba of interfering with the U.S. war on terrorism by giving false
leads to the U.S.
Raul has taken Castro’s place as President in Cuba as Castro has fallen ill.
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