...There are many views that people have of Cuba’s Fidel Castro. Castro is a figure with opinions on both ends of the spectrum. While he is not worldly popular at this point in his life, he was immensely beneficial to his country. Fidel Castro, leader of Cuba for the past 50 years may not be viewed in the best light, but he did phenomenal things for his people which makes him one of the most undervalued and overlooked political figures. Fidel Castro Ruz was born in Biran, Cuba on August 13, 1926 (Britannica, 2014). Born into a middle class sugar farm owning family, Castro grew up relatively affluent but his origins pointed to anything but a revolutionary career. “I was born into a family of landowners in comfortable circumstances. We were considered rich and treated as such. Everyone lavished attention on me and treated me differently from other children. These other children went barefoot while we wore shoes; they were often hungry, at our house there was always a squabble at the table to get us to eat.” – Fidel Castro (Castro, 2009) Fidel Castro’s family was not Rockefeller rich, but had far more than many other people did in Cuba at the time. Due to this he attended an elite Catholic private school. Castro was very much into politics, while attending the University of Havana he joined a student group that opposed political corruption. He was a member of the Orthodox Part, also known as the Cuban People’s Party (Geyer, 1991). With Fidel Castro’s exceptional public speaking skills...
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...Fidel Castro’s Influence on the Cuban Revolution, 1953-1959 The year was 1953 and Fidel Castro was a dashing and daring reformer that was determined to make a impact in a country that was ruled by an unjust president. With the Movement strong and confident, Castro delivered these strong words to his group of men: “In a few hours you will be victorious or defeated, but regardless of the outcome – listen well, friends – this Movement will triumph. If you win tomorrow, the aspirations of Martí will be fulfilled sooner. If we fail, our action will nevertheless set an example for the Cuban people, and from the people will arise fresh new men willing to die for Cuba. They will pick up our banner and move forward... The people will back us in Oriente and in the whole island. As in '68 and '92, here in Oriente we will give the first cry of Liberty or Death!” These words by Castro illustrates what type of leader he was and still is to this day. Castro is one of the most polarizing figures in Cuban history, with many natives of Cuba arguing that he was the central cause of the destruction of Cuba, while others consider him to be the visionary that saved Cuba from the destruction that would have come about if a capitalist system had been instituted instead of a communist one. Actions taken by Fidel Castro during the Cuban Revolution shaped Cuba politically and socially to what we know it to be today. Fidel Castro was born in southeast Cuba, in the Oriente Province on August 13, 1926...
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...Born in Cuba, Fidel Castro came from a wealthy family from which he could afford an admirable education and soon realize he excelled at everything he did, whether it be academic or athletic. This steered his mindset to make him believe he could do anything he desired. It is when Castro started his studies in law school at the University of Havana that he developed an interest for politics which would later turn him into one of the most influential leader Cuba has had (Biography.com Editors, 2016). Rather than being a communist, Castro was first a pronounced nationalist (Wood, week 10, slide 21). This strong characteristic of his personality made him a man dedicating his all to the promotion of the country he loved so much, Cuba (Merriam-Webster,...
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...The Memory of Fidel Castro The 20th century was the era of the dictator. Around the world, dictators rose and affected millions of lives for better and for much worse. In 2016 Fidel Castro, the communist dictator, passed away and left behind a controversial legacy. Castro's regime leaves behind a polarized memory split between people who him and heroify him. Some people view him as a great liberator of Cuba and some consider him a ruthless oppressor of his dissenters. Cuba is an anomaly among countries due to Castro’s policy on decolonization that has enriched the lives of many while simultaneously oppressing and destroying the lives of countless others. While Castro created many social movements such as health care and education that benefited...
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...political system strengthened, Cuba’s location in relation its surrounding islands and the US became more and more disconcerting: should Fidel Castro move to uproot the political systems of its close neighbors, the opportunity for success was in place. It’s understandable then that the US would seek to alter the playing field of the Caribbean—in attempting to do so, however, a potentially unauthorized plot to kill Fidel Castro became a very near reality. For a plot that appeared in many forms, its inception is still not fully understood. Further, it is unclear whether or not...
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...Fidel Castro was the prime minister and then president of Cuba. He ruled for about 50 years. When Castro showed an interest in politics, so did Fulgencio Batista, who takes over the Cuban government and establishes a military dictatorship. Fidel is well known for the Cuban Revolution, when he overthrew General Fulgencio Batista, and became the new leader of Cuba. Fidel Castro Ruz was born on August 13, 1926 in the city of Mayari which is in the northwestern part of Cuba. His Father, Àngel Castro y Argiz was a wealthy planter. Fidel Castro had many siblings including Raul Castro, who is the leader of Cuba today. Fidel was “educated by the Jesuits and studied law at the University of Havana” . He always liked Latin American Revolutionary Politics since he was a child also . Fidel Castro became a lawyer specializing in public-interest and was kind enough to sometimes represent the poor at no cost. In 1952 Castro decided to become a candidate for parliament...
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...William Mati Mr.Laing CHC- 2D0 June 1, 2012 Fidel Castro: A leader without limits Fidel Castro was an extraordinary leader who fought for the good of his people and led them to victory in the Cuban revolution. This victory did not only prove Fidel's courage by standing up against the Cuban government and standing up for the poor, but it also demonstrated his determination to become victorious. However, in order to overthrow the government, Castro would have needed supporters for his cause, in which his charisma helped influence. Such a revolution would be impossible to achieve if Castro was not an extraordinary leader. Fidel Castro was courageous, charismatic, and determined. First, Castro always displayed courage and bravery throughout his lifetime. After he witnessed what was truly occurring in Cuba, Fidel began to doubt the political system and the rein of Batista. As a result, Fidel had begun to participate in revolutionary campaigns and speaking out against Batista. On July 26 1953, Castro participated in a battle between the guerillas and the military. Many of the guerillas were killed, but luckily for Castro, he was sent to prison and later exiled to Mexico, where he formed a revolutionary group. Forming another group displayed courage by attempting another assault on Batista and risking death. Since Castro supported communism, he was put at further risk because the concept of communism was looked down upon. "The Communist Party with only some ten thousand members...
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...Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz, or better known as Fidel Castro, was born on August 13, 1926, in Biran Cuba. Fidel Castro attended two Roman Catholic boarding schools; the first was Santiago de Cuba and then the Catholic high school Belen in Havana. He attending the School of Law of the University of Havana, this is where he interests in politics began. After he graduated, Castro began practicing law and eventually became a member of the reformist Cuban People’s Party. Castro became their candidate for a seat in the House of Representatives for the Havana district, but the former Cuban president, toppled the government and stopped the election. Because the elections were canceled, Castro led over a hundred men on a suicide mission to attach the Moncada military barracks. This event demonstrated that Fidel Castro is a charismatic authority leader and because of his leadership style, he came into power in Cuba, broke the promises he made to his people, that lead the country into bring the first communists country, which in turn led to many adversities for the nation, and made it hard to conduct business in American because Castro had to overcome cross cultural barriers. Because of Castro’s “charismatic authority leadership” style, he had the support of most Cubans on the promises to restore the 1940 constitution, create an honest administration,...
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...is the largest island in the Caribbean. The capital of Cuba is Havana, and its population is 10.8 million. The main language used by most cubans is spanish and the currency used there is a Cuban Peso, which is equal to one U.S. Dollar. Cuba is a communist state and its president, since December 1976, is Fidel Castro Ruz. The main objective of this paper is to talk about the economic and political side of Cuba during the reign of Fidel Castro. Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926 in Oriente. The schools that he attended were Catholic and located in Havana. He entered the University of Havana in 1945 and graduated with a law degree in 1950. In 1948 he married Mirta Diaz Balart but they were soon divorced in 1954. His son Fidel Castro Diaz Balart became the head of Cuba's atomic energy commision. Castro was a very good vocalist and he brought himself national prominence by leading an attack on Moncada army barracks. Due to this attack he was sentenced to 15 years in prison, which only lasted for 2 years. After being in exhile in Mexico, Castro returned with 81 others, including Che Guevera, to Cuba and launched a successful guerrilla war. Castro became a strong leader and many other countries begun to fear him. In Cuba the state is the head of the economy and controls almost all trade between foreign countries. Many reforms have been undertaken by the government so that the labor incentives would increase and so that there would be no shortages of...
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...Che Guevara: The Man and The Myth Many will call me an adventurer- and that I am, only one of a different sort; one of those who risks his skin to prove his platitudes. ---Che Guevara. Who was Ernesto “Che” Guevara and why did he chose to live the life of a revolutionary when he could have been an affluent doctor in Buenos Aires? Why was he to always be a “foreigner” when he loved his Argentina? What motivated him to leave his opportune life in an aristocratic family to attempt to achieve a better world for others? Che was a man with a lust for battle. No matter what he attempted, he went for it with everything he could possible give. But, what did he accomplish in that life? When his life is examined and his endeavors looked at closely, did he really make a difference in helping others to have a better life? Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara de la Serna was born in Rosario, Argentina on June 14, 1928. His father, Ernesto Guevara Lynch and his mother Celia de la Serna y Llosa were both blue-blooded aristocrats. His father’s family had lived in Argentina for over twelve generations and his mother’s family had land, both signs of money in this land of immigrants. Che’s father was “a cultivated man, very intelligent, he was active in the ranks of the Radical Party” (page 4, Compañero). Che’s mother who with her sister’s influence, would become a”socialist, anticlerical feminist” (page 4, Compañero). This heritage, especially his mother’s influence, was Ernesto’s foundation to his revolutionary...
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...of Pigs invasion was initially planned to strip popularity from Fidel Castro, who had stripped power from the original leader Fulgencio Bastro. But it turns out, the Bay of Pigs invasion did the exact opposite of what it was planned for. The Bay of Pigs invasion was unsuccessful, and throughout the invasion, ties were broken and many people were killed. The invasion was meant to appear as an attempt by independent Cuban rebels to overthrow Castro, but became known as an American project. President John F. Kennedy immediately admitted responsibility when the invasion failed. Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful invasion of Cuba by Cuban exiles, supported by the U.S. government. The Bay of Pigs invasion took place during the Cold...
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...over 50 years the United States of America and Cuba have had a negative relationship. In 1959, Fidel Castro and a group of revolutionists overthrew the Cuban government, changing it to a Communist country, which then created a strong relationship between Cuba and Soviet Union. During this time, the United States was at a stalemate war with the Soviet Union, now known as the Cold War. As Cuba’s relationship grew with the Soviet Union, their relationship with the United States quickly faded. As communism grew it began to ruin the United States’ idea of containment, which caused havoc within the economy. Cuba then became an enemy of the United States. Since that pivotal moment in history, the relationship between the United States and Cuba have experienced turmoil, which the current U.S. president Barack Obama, and the Cuban leader Raul Castro, have been trying to end the disorder between the two countries. In 1953 Fidel Castro and a group of 130 revolutionaries attempted to overthrow the dictatorship of Cuba but ended in a failure and later led to Castro’s imprisonment. The current dictator of Cuba, Fulgencio Batista, pardoned Castro, which was a major mistake. In 1956 Castro lead another revolt and promised the people of Cuba that he would replace Batista’s dictatorship with free elections and also promised that he would end the corruption in the Cuban government. (Dowling) Castro wanted to overthrow Batista because of his corruption and violence. Batista was known as a cruel...
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...101 Date: 25th march 2014 The Cuban Missile Crisis Analysis The Cuban missile crisis was one of the greatest events in the United States. The crisis in October 19 to October 28, 1962 was a main cold war between the United States and the Soviet Union. And the crisis returns on the struggle of power between the United States and the Soviet Union throughout the war. The USSR increased its support of Fidel Castro's Cuban regime, and in the summer of 1962, Nikita Khrushchev decided to install flying arms in Cuba. President Kennedy and the other leaders of the country were faced with a bad problem where a decision had to be made. The Crisis started as a result of both the Soviet Union's fear of losing the arms fight, and Cuba's fear of US attack. The Soviet Premier, Nikita Khrushchev, thought that both problems could easily be solved by placing Soviet medium range missiles in Cuba. This placement would double the Soviet arsenal and protect Cuba from US attack. Khrushchev proposed this idea to Cuban Leading, Fidel Castro, who, like Khrushchev, saw the planned advantage. The two leaders worked together in privacy throughout the late-summer and early-fall of 1962. The Soviets shipped sixty medium-range flying missiles along with their weapons, equipment. When United States President, John F. Kennedy discovered the presence of these attacking weapons, he immediately organized a group of his important advisors. They spent some days discussing different...
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...The forces that led to the 1959 Cuban Revolution were the Monroe Doctrine, The Platt Amendment and the ruthlessness of the Batista puppet government. In 1823, President James Monroe affirmed that the United States would not become involved in European affairs and that Europeans should no longer interfere with any part of the Americas. Monroe stated that any attempt by a European power to influence or colonise any independent nation in the Americas would be seen as an attack on the peace and safety in the United States. This statement became known as the Monroe Doctrine. Its aim was to limit European influence in any part of the American continent as well as the Caribbean. The Platt Amendment, which was contained in the new Cuban constitution in 1902, gave the United States the legal right to intervene in Cuba in order to protect ‘life, property and individual liberties.’ The terms of the Platt Amendment included: - Restricted Cuba’s ability to make treaties with other countries - Gave the United States the power to intervene in Cuban affairs - Gave the U.S the right to buy or lease land for military use - Guaranteed the right to use land indefinitely The Platt Amendment effectively placed Cuba under American control. Majority of middle class Cubans were frustrated by its lack of political power and influence. Many Cubans were fed up of being ruled by big countries and wanted independence. Another factor that led to the Cuban Revolution was the ruthlessness of the...
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...exercise the abuse of a majority that does not possess the means of production is enforced to sell their labor in exchange for a salary. This socialist ideology has been enforced in two countries for several years; Cuba and Venezuela, but this has not been solved yet, and it’s a topic that everybody should knew something. I will start with Cuba and then Venezuela, and then I will compare them so the reader can know the similarities between them. The first intentions to implement socialism in Cuba come with Fidel Castro and Ernesto "Che" Guevara and his attempts to overthrow the dictatorship of then-President Fulgencio Batista, the dictatorial president was unconditional ally of the United States . They had already had approaches with communist leaders especially from Mexico, there was brewing a plan for the dissemination of communist ideas and policies, especially at the head of Leon Trotsky. In the Cuban revolution that culminated in Batista fled and the establishment of Fidel Castro in power in 1959, who in four years as the island proclaimed socialist who raises concerns in the US ahead in the time of President Eisenhower proposes immediate action The geostrategic importance because the island had for American power, however most concern by the government of the United States was the growing communist influence and the improvement in relations Moscow-Havana in terms of economic and political aspects that USA had neglected during the...
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