We explain what the Cuban Revolution was and its main events. Also, its causes and consequences.
What was the Cuban Revolution?
The Cuban Revolution It was the uprising in arms of the Cuban revolutionary movement that overthrew the government of Fulgencio Batista and brought Fidel Castro to power. The rebellion began in 1953 and lasted six years, until in 1959 the guerrilla organization managed to prevail over the state army.
Once in power, Fidel Castro established a dictatorship in Cuba. In his first years of government, He dedicated himself to transforming the Cuban economy and society. He nationalized the economy and nationalized the main industries and service companies. In addition, he expropriated the large estates and distributed land ownership among the peasants.
These measures harmed the economic interests that the United States had in Cuba, which is why the North American government attempted to overthrow the revolutionary regime. Consequently, Castro allied himself with the Soviet Union (main enemy of the United States in the context of the Cold War) and accentuated the communist features of his government.
Since the Cuban Revolution, the country remained under a communist dictatorial regime. After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Cuban economy entered into crisis and a time of famine and poverty broke out. Castro governed until 2006, the year in which he delegated power to his brother Raúl, due to health problems and advanced age.
The Cuban Revolution is considered an event of continental and global importance. It became a symbol of the anti-imperialist struggles of Latin America and of the revolutionary left movements.
See also: Communism
Frequently asked questions
What was the Cuban Revolution?
The Cuban Revolution was a movement led by Fidel Castro and other rebels that overthrew dictator Fulgencio Batista in 1959, and established a socialist government in Cuba.
What were the causes of the Cuban Revolution?
The main cause of the Cuban Revolution was popular discontent caused by poverty, corruption and political oppression under the regime of Fulgencio Batista.
What was the role of Fidel Castro in the Cuban Revolution?
Fidel Castro was the main leader of the Cuban Revolution. He led rebel forces from the Sierra Maestra mountains and later became head of state of the new revolutionary government.
What changes did the revolution generate in Cuba?
The government of the Cuban Revolution brought significant changes in the quality of life of the population. It guaranteed access to fundamental goods and services (such as education, health and land) and took measures for the social distribution of wealth. However, in the long term, it deprived people of their individual freedoms and isolated Cuba from the rest of the continent.
History of the Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution began on July 26, 1953 when a group of young people led by Fidel Castro undertook armed struggle against the government of Fulgencio Batista. This group called itself the “Centenary Generation” and tried to take the military barracks of Moncada, in Santiago de Cuba, and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, in Bayamo. These attacks failed and the revolutionaries who survived were arrested.
In 1955, under international pressure, an amnesty was issued and the revolutionary militants were released. Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl created the “July 26 Movement” (M-26-7) with the aim of continuing revolutionary activity. The organization had an anti-imperialist and democratic ideology, based on the ideas of José Martí (a Cuban revolutionary philosopher).
The Castro brothers then headed to Mexico and formed a guerrilla army to overthrow Batista. There they were joined by the Argentine doctor Ernesto “Che” Guevara. On November 25, 1956, the revolutionary army arrived on the Cuban coast on the yacht Granma. Batista's forces attacked the militants and those who survived entered the Sierra Maestra mountains, from where they organized rearmament and the continuation of the fight.
The revolutionary ideals were expressed in the “Sierra Maestra Manifesto” signed by the main leaders: the objective of the struggle was to overthrow the Batista government, call for free elections and recover the democratic constitutional order.
The 26th of July Movement began to recruit more and more young people to the cause. The guerrilla army was commanded by Fidel Castro, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and Juan Almeida. Castro contacted the foreign press with the aim of spreading his struggle and seeking international support to pressure the Batista government.
By 1958, fighting between the guerrillas and Batista's state army became increasingly intense. The revolutionary guerrillas designed new fighting tactics that eventually managed to overwhelm the state army. The urban middle and lower classes increasingly supported the guerrilla groups and they demonstrated against the regime. On the other hand, the government could no longer guarantee the interests of North American businessmen in Cuba and finally the United States ended up withdrawing its support.
On January 1, 1959, guerrilla troops took Havana and Santiago and established a provisional and diverse government, with Manuel Urrutia Lleó as president and Fidel Castro as commander of the Army. Batista fled to the Dominican Republic.
See also: Chinese Communist Revolution
The government of the Cuban Revolution
One of the main promises of the revolutionary campaign was constitutionality and the creation of a democratic government. However, The revolutionary government maintained the de facto regime with the aim of transforming the society and economy of Cuba.
The first measure of the revolutionary government was the Agrarian Reform Law who expropriated the largest estates, distributed the land and prohibited foreigners from owning it. In 1960, progress was made with the nationalization of the economy: Oil companies, major banks, the mining industry, telecommunications companies, and local consumer and necessity goods industries were nationalized.
During the first two years, the revolutionary regime came closer and closer to the ideas of communist ideology. The interests of many American companies and private individuals were harmed by these measures.
The confrontation against the United States
The United States government began a series of anti-revolutionary campaigns because their interests in Cuba were affected by the measures of Fidel Castro's government.
In 1961, he invaded Cuba through the Bay of Pigs, but failed. Besides, began a commercial blockade against the revolutionary government. However, the Castro regime had the support of the Soviet Union, which provided Cuba with fuel, technology, financial credits and weapons.
In 1962, Castro publicly declared the “Marxist-Leninist” orientation of the Cuban regime and accepted the installation of Soviet missiles on the island. In response, the president of the United States John F. Kennedy broke relations with Cuba and began a military blockade on the island. This event, known as “the Cuban missile crisis,” was one of the most tense moments of the Cold War.
The leaders of the United States and the Soviet Union negotiated, and finally The United States lifted the military blockade on Cuba. Since then, the Cuban revolutionary government strengthened its political and economic ties with the Soviet Union.
Causes and background of the Cuban Revolution
The main causes of the Cuban Revolution were social unrest due to deep economic inequality, policies that protected North American interests over the needs of the Cuban population, and the coup d'état that put Fulgencio Batista in power and suppressed democracy.
In general, the most important antecedents of the Cuban Revolution were:
- The coup d'état by Fulgencio Batista. In the 1952 elections in Cuba, the Cuban People's Party won with the presidential candidacy of Carlos Prío Socarrás. However, Fulgencio Batista (a former president and national leader) led a coup d'état, organized new fraudulent elections, and took over the government. His government was supported by the United States and defended the interests of North American companies.
- The success of the communist revolution in Russia. The global influence of the October Revolution of 1917, in which the Russian proletariat deposed the tsars and initiated a revolutionary government, fostered the radicalization of popular movements.
- The Guatemalan Experience. Since 1945, Guatemala began to carry out reforms in its agrarian and labor policies that harmed the interests of the United States, favored the national economy and ensured the living conditions of Guatemalan society. In response, the United States intervened militarily in the country and persecuted reformist militants. Since then, Guatemala remained under the government of regimes that defended North American economic interests.
Consequences of the Cuban Revolution
The most important consequence of the Cuban Revolution was the establishment of the communist dictatorship in Cuba and its alliance with the Soviet Union within the framework of the Cold War. In the long term, this generated the country's economic dependence on the Soviet Union and the implementation of measures that restricted the freedom of Cubans.
In summary, the consequences of the Cuban Revolution were:
- The fall of the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista and the creation of a revolutionary government.
- The implementation of left-wing political and economic reforms: the expropriation of large estates, the distribution of land and the nationalization of the country's main industries.
- The establishment of a communist regime with state planning and intervention of the economy.
- Cuba's alliance with the Soviet Union and the communist bloc within the framework of the Cold War.
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References
- Ackermann, ME, Schroeder, MJ, et al. (2008). Cuban revolution (1959-). Encyclopedia of World History. The Contemporary World. 1950 to the Present. I returned. Facts on File.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023). Cuban Revolution. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/ - Francis, J.M. (2010). Cuba. Encyclopedia of Latin America. The Age of Globalization (1900 to the Present). Vol IV. Facts on File.
- Tato, MI, Bubello, JP, Castello, AM and Campos, E. (2011). Latin America before a new order (1945-1965), The case of Guatemala and The Cuban Revolution. History of the second half of the 20th century. Estrada.