Conditions that led to Castro's rise to power
economic conditions
weakness of the political system
social division
the impact of war
colonial legacy
Cuban wars of Independence (1868-78) (1879-1880)
(1895-1898)
racial divide
Spanish-American war 1898
US tutelage
Platt Amendment 1901
José Marti (1853-95) nationalist, anti imperialist, martyr
WWII: Allied to the US --> sugar exports
relatively strong economy
(by comp. with Latin America)
sugar farming
click to edit
export dependency --> US
Corporate Imperialism:
Controlled by US corporations
Great Depression 1929 - crash: High inflation
puppet presidents: Dependent on US support
Gerardo Machado (1925-33) Dictator --> Sergeants' revolt (Batista)
Ramón Grau (1933-34) --> Conflict with US corp.
Montefur (1934-35) - Right wing
Puppet's controlled by Batista (controls the armed forces) - 6 presidents in 6 years
Batista (1940-44) - US support
Ramó Grau (1944-48)
Carlos Prío (1948-52)
Fulgencio Batista (1952-1959) - coup d'état
Fulgencio Batista:
suspends elections
BRAC
Mafia
brutal oppression of opposition
loss of US support
Guantanamo Bay
corruption: favoring the rich - cf. social division
high illiteracy in Oriente
rich minority: (West) plantation owners
poor majority: (East)
high crime rate
urban/rural divide
tourist destination: Havana = US whorehouse: Casinos, prostitution
Fractured opposition: Ortodoxos, Autenticos, PSP : all implicated with US, (except Ortodoxos)
Guerilla war (cf. methods):
Sierra Maestra campaign
Impact of Cold War (1948-89/91):
Red scare in the US
WWII alliance with US: High sugar prices
Low sugar prices post 1945
= economic divide
student protests
Eddy Chibas: suicide