The Cuban Revolution

Teacher Thiago Natário

Background
● Entry port of Spain in the Americas;

● Despite several independence movements

in the 19th century Americas, Cuba failed;

● Spanish Empire loyalists from other regions fled to Cuba, creating a

pro-Spain sentiment - Havana was the empire’s basis of operation;

● Sugar plantations and slavery continued and grew - abolished in 1886;

● 1898: US cruiser Maine is blown up in Havana, allegedly by Spain;

● Spanish-American War: US takes Cuba and Puerto Rico as protectorates;

● The Platt Amendment (1901) and financial control created resentment;

● Points I, III and VII - perpetual lease of Guantánamo Bay;

1901 political cartoon: the United States Congress' Platt Amendment authorizing
U.S. President McKinley to brand captive Cuba as a U.S. possession.
Preamble: For the recognition of the independence of the people of Cuba, demanding that the Government of Spain relinquish its
authority and government in the island of Cuba, and withdraw its land and naval forces from Cuba and Cuban waters, and directing the
President of the United States to use the land and naval forces of the United States to carry these resolutions into effect, the
President is hereby authorized to "leave the government and control of the island of Cuba to its people" so soon as a government
shall have been established in said island under a constitution which, either as a part thereof or in an ordinance appended thereto,
shall define the future relations of the United States with Cuba.
I. That the government of Cuba shall never enter into any treaty or other compact with any foreign power or powers which will impair
or tend to impair the independence of Cuba, nor in any manner authorize or permit any foreign power or powers to obtain by
colonization or for military or naval purposes or otherwise, lodgement in or control over any portion of said island.
II. That said government shall not assume or contract any public debt, to pay the interest upon which, and to make reasonable sinking
fund provision for the ultimate discharge of which, the ordinary revenues of the island, after defraying the current expenses of
government shall be inadequate.
III. That the government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban
independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty, and for
discharging the obligations with respect to Cuba imposed by the treaty of Paris on the United States, now to be assumed and
undertaken by the government of Cuba.
IV. That all Acts of the United States in Cuba during its military occupancy thereof are ratified and validated, and all lawful
rights acquired thereunder shall be maintained and protected.
V. That the government of Cuba will execute, and as far as necessary extend, the plans already devised or other plans to be mutually
agreed upon, for the sanitation of the cities of the island, to the end that a recurrence of epidemic and infectious diseases may be
prevented, thereby assuring protection to the people and commerce of Cuba, as well as to the commerce of the southern ports of the
United States and the people residing therein.
VI. That the Isle of Pines shall be omitted from the proposed constitutional boundaries of Cuba, the title thereto being left to
future adjustment by treaty.
VII. That to enable the United States to maintain the independence of Cuba, and to protect the people thereof, as well as for its own
defense, the government of Cuba will sell or lease to the United States lands necessary for coaling or naval stations at certain
specified points to be agreed upon with the President of the United States.
VIII. That by way of further assurance the government of Cuba will embody the foregoing provisions in a permanent treaty with the
United States.
Victor Gillam, “A Thing Well Begun Is Half Done,” 1899. (Cornell University Library)
Socioeconomic causes of the Revolution
● The US had investments in sugar, banking, telecommunications and tourism -
it controlled 75% of the sugar production and 85% of all foreign investment;

● Social inequality grew as a result of the seasonality of the sugar industry,

creating a wandering class of workers who crowded the cities;

● Striking inequality between Cubans and tourists in the hotels and casinos;

● Statistics of healthcare and access to food were high, but inflated;

● Middle-class Cubans felt underpaid and exploited working for US businesses;

● Unemployment fluctuated between 20% and 30% in the 40s and 50s;

● Sugar plantations and cattle ranches owned ⅓ of land - landless peasants;

● 80% of Cuban exports were sugar - food production was insufficient;

Political causes
● The US intervened in Cuba in 1906, 12 and 17;

● Platt was repealed in 1934 and through the

40s the US supported pretensely democratic
authoritarian rulers;

● Former sergeant Fulgencio Batista was in power from 1940 to 44 and 52-59;

● Corruption and US interests led to a movement of ‘Cuba for the Cubans’ -

dissidents were imprisoned and tortured by Batista;

● The Auténtico Party won the presidency and passed reforms from 1944 to 1952;

● Deeming them inefficient, dissident Ortodoxo Party was formed, which

included a charismatic young lawyer, Fidel Castro;

● Another party gaining strength among workers was the Communisty Party (PCC);
 Supported by the US, Fulgencio Batista
orchestrated a military coup before de 1952
elections, triggering the beginning of the a
guerrilla warfare process
‘History Will Absolve Me’ - Fidel Castro
● https://faculty.chass.ncsu.edu/slatta/hi216/documents/dabsolve.htm

● https://almeida.co.uk/index.php?option=com_docman&view=download&alias=759-h
istory-will-absolve-me-teaching-resource&category_slug=participate&Itemid=1
33
The Revolution
● July 26 1953: failed attack on the Moncada
Barracks led by Fidel Castro;

● They were arrested and imprisoned until 1955,

when sought exile in Mexico - M-26-7;

● With Raúl Castro and Ernesto (Che) Guevara,

Fidel planned another attack in 1956, which
also failed - Sierra Maestra Mountains;

● They resisted through guerrilla warfare and

gathered support from peasants and workers;

● Batista was abandoned by his own troops and the US - fled;

● Castro and the M-26-7 took Havana in January 1959;

Political Consolidation
● The dominant classes lost power and
many emigrated to the US;

● There was mass mobilization of

volunteers to take their place;

● Creation of the central planning

committee (Junta Central de Planificación - JUCEPLAN) in 1960;

● Castro used Raúl’s and Che’s proximity to the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC)
to merge much of their labor organization;

● They put forth a major expropriation of US property on the Island;

● The US boycotted Cuba, which prompted the USSR to step in in support;

● The Castros alienated much of the Cuban middle-class (around 10% left);
expropriation - property is taken by the State,
with or without compensation, for public use.

boycott/embargo - ban on all commercial and

political relations with a country.
Economic Issues
● The objective was to implement broad
reforms for a more equitable society;

● In 1959 the government created the

National Institute for Agrarian Reform
(INRA), tasked with nationalizing the US-owned sugar plantations;

● It began by breaking up the huge sugar plantations, limiting their size;

● The land was redistributed to rural workers - working conditions greatly

improved, but productions goals were not achieved;

● The gov. raised wages both for rural and urban workers, gaining approval;

● 1970: Castro tried to produce a record zafra of 10 million tons - target

was not reached, greatly frustrating volunteers from all over the world;
● In 1960 about 58,000 small businesses
were nationalized - gap in capital and
professional expertise;

● Oil and electric power became scarce as

the ‘West’ joined the US in boycotting
Cuba;

● Joint ventures planned by the Cuban

government set up new enterprises and
industries to boost the economy;

● 1970s saw the introduction of wage

incentives and small-market economy
measures, like farmers’ markets;

● Huge military and economic assistance

from the USSR as major buyer of Cuban
sugar;
 The top imports of Cuba are Poultry Meat ($266M), Wheat ($141M), Corn ($135M),
Concentrated Milk ($128M), and Rice ($72.7M), importing mostly from Spain ($675M), China
($483M), Italy ($211M), Brazil ($209M), and Canada ($197M).
Social and Cultural Policies
● Cuba had a series of highly successful literacy
campaigns, where students took one year off and
taught the popul. - sense of unity and purpose;

● New schools were built and institutes founded;

● Series of campaigns increased the government’s

popularity - building rural hospitals and clinics
and opening private resorts to the public;

● Despite an initial rise in wages, living standards were relatively low;

● 1950s Cuba had a huge prostitution problem - in 1961, women were sent to
boarding schools with childcare centers and given professional training,
with healthcare and psychological support;
● Vilma Espín was an MIT chemical engineer who
joined the M-26-7 movement;

● She married Raúl Castro and became deeply

involved with advancement of gender equality;

● The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) was

founded in August 1961, with the intent of
incorporating women into the workforce;

● With 3 million members, the FMC organized

schools to incentivize women to study and
childcare centers so they could work;

● Created cultural campaigns to end racism

against Afro-Cubans and sexist biases;

● The Family Code (1974) called for men and

women to equally share all household tasks;

● In 1953, 13.5% of the Cuban workforce was

female, but the number rose to 46% in 2012;
 ● The Family Code changed traditional gender
roles, but within values of a heterosexual
marriage and family;

● “Homosexual behavior” was punished in the penal

code and the gay community was persecuted;

● The police raided beaches and gay bars,

detaining people in “re-education” camps;

● Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo

Arenas was persecuted under Castro.
His work was banned and he was exiled;

● By early 1970s homophobia diminished

and homosexuality was decriminalized
in 1979;

● Mariela Castro heads the National

Center for Sexual Education, where
LGBTQ+ issues are discussed in school;
Treatment of Opposition
● In 1959, support for the Castro government
was massive, due to the removal of Batista;

● As the guerrilla fighters took over the Cuban

army, many officers accused of committing
crimes during the Batista regime were publicly
tried and executed;

● The initiative was popular, as many saw them as torturers and assassins;

● After 1960, some moderate leaders of the M-26-7 started to pressure Castro for
democratic elections - he called it “odious Politiquería”;

● April 61: Castro announced Cuba would be governed by the PCC under his
leadership - many leaders resigned and formed a counter-revolution;

● Anti-communists, landowners and Batista soldiers joined guerrilla - CIA support;

● Many joined the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) and dissent
was contained - either left the country or were arrested;
Impact of the Revolution
● During Castro’s 1960 trip to the US,
his Cuban Airlines plane was confiscated;

● Besides the embargo, by January 61 Eisenhower

broke all diplomatic relations with Cuba -
the US supported, financed and trained a group of Cuban exiles;

● Intelligence reports affirmed the Cuban pop. would join the dissidents against
the Castro Regime - the Bay of Pigs attack (April 61) was a fiasco;

● Opposition by the US strengthened Castro - Marxism-Leninism + Nationalism;

● The USSR supplied the Cuban defense system - Missile Crisis (1962);

● Between 1970-75 8 Latin-American countries reestablished relations w/ Cuba;

● For many, Cuba was a symbol of defiance against US hegemony in the Americas;
Castro meets US vice-President, Richard Nixon,
in a non-official visit to Washington.
Photo: 1959 Keystone / Getty Images.
Source: BBC News Brasil
 Cuban doctors receive flags during a farewell ceremony before
departing to Italy to assist in the containment of Coronavirus.
March 21, 2020. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini.

● Members of the Cuban government wanted to inspire other

revolutions - Castro was cautious;

● In the 60s and 70s around 50,000 Cuban soldiers were sent
to Angola and South Africa;
Che Guevara, holding a Congolese baby and
standing with an Afro-Cuban soldier during the ● The Gov. has also sent doctors to Algeria in 63 and
Congo Crisis, 1965.
teachers, nurses, engineers and advisers to developing
Anonymous - Museo Che Guevara (Centro de
Estudios Che Guevara en La Habana, Cuba)
countries, especially in Africa;
10 October 1967: Soldiers pose with
the body of Che Guevara in a stable
in the town of Vallegrande,
Bolivia. (Photograph by
Bettmann/Contributor)