Early life
Fidel Castro was born out of wedlock in 1926 to a father who is a wealthy sugar cane plantation owner and his mother was a maid working for his father. He grew up amongst poor Haitian labourers but went to boarding aged 8 where he clashed with teachers and students alike. In 1945 Castro studied law at the University of Havana. Where he was heavily involved in student politics. Which led to him to be known as charismatic and vocal about the Cuban government. In 1947 Castro became extremely furious with social justice abuses that were happening in the region. For this reason traveled to the Dominican republic in order to participate in a coup against former dictator Rafael Trujillo.
Political history
After the failed coup attempt Castro returned to Cuba and graduated from the university of Havana with a degree in law in 1950. he opened a law office and ran for election to the Cuban house of representatives two years later. However the election never occurred as Batista seized control over Cuba. Castro first attempted to overthrow Batista in July of 1953 when he attacked army barracks in Santiago de Cuba with 120 other men. The attack failed miserably and Castro was arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. After two years Castro was released as Batista wanted to improve his tarnished authoritarian image. Castro fled to Mexico where he met an Argentine marxist revolutionary Che Guevara an important figure in Fidel Castro’s resurgence. The following year Castro and 81 followers sailed back to Cuba where they were ambushed with only 18 survivors. Castro fled into the sierra Maestra mountains in order to regroup but with few weapons and supplies. In early 1957 they had gained enough to start fighting the rural guards and worrying the capital. As a result in 1958 Batista launched a major offensive against the group. Castro and his men stood their ground and on January, 1, 1959 Batista was overthrown and was exiled to Mexico. Castro became the prime minister from 1959 to 1976.
The problems between Cuba and the USA due to the communistic regime of Fidel Castro In the cold war.
In 1960 the United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba and imposed a trade embargo on the country after Castro had nationalised all US owned businesses. In April of 1961 CIA trained Cuban exiles tried to overthrow Castro but were met with failure when there first wave of bombers missed their targets and the second air strike was aborted completely. More than 100 of the exiles were killed and the rest were captured, however in 1962 Castro granted them amnesty in return for medical supplies and baby food from the US. Fidel Castro sided with the soviet union during the cold war. As he had the same communistic ideas. Tension came to a head during the Cuban missile crisis in which the soviet union supplied the Cubans with ballistic missiles. There were a 13 day tense confrontation between the US and the soviet union as well as the closest the cold war ever came to a full one nuclear war. The soviet union agreed to remove the nuclear weapons despite Castro’s protests moving the nuclear weapons in exchange United states president J.F.Kennedy agreed not to invade Cuba again as well as to remove nuclear weapons from turkey.
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John.F.KennedyJohn. F. Kennedy often clashed with Fidel Castro due to his communistic ideology and due to Castro being backed by the Soviet Union. The Bay of pigs was a failed invasion in Cuba after just two years of Fidel Castro being charged. J.F.K also played a big part in the Cuban missile crisis where There was a 13 day confrontation between the US and the soviet union as well as the closest the cold war ever came to a full on nuclear war. The soviet union agreed to remove the nuclear weapons despite Castro’s protests moving the nuclear weapons in exchange United states president J.F.Kennedy agreed not to invade Cuba again as well as to remove nuclear weapons from turkey.
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Nikita Khrushchev After Stalin's death in 1953 Khrushchev became first secretary of the communist party in the USSR and later served as premier from 1958 to 1964. In the spring of 1962 Khrushchev had soviet missiles transported to Cuba secretly. the United States soon discovered that the missile the USSR missiles have been transported to Cuba and thus began the Cuban missile crisis. In the beginning Khrushchev was firm on his position and anticipated Kennedy to change his stance. however the president did not backdown and Khrushchev was forced to compromise in the face of the possibility of a nuclear showdown. Khrushchev famously stated " to save the world, we must retreat." the Soviet union withdrew there missiles from Cuba. In exchange the United States promised not to invade Cuba and withdrew their missiles from Turkey.
"I convey to you the infinite gratitude and recognition of the Cuban people to the Soviet people, who have been so generous and fraternal, along with our profound gratitude and admiration to you personally. We wish you success with the enormous task and great responsibilities which are in your hands." (Fidel Castro letter to Khrushchev October 26, 1962) |
"I convey to you the infinite gratitude and recognition of the Cuban people to the Soviet people, who have been so generous and fraternal, along with our profound gratitude and admiration to you personally. We wish you success with the enormous task and great responsibilities which are in your hands." (Fidel Castro letter to Khrushchev October 26, 1962)
The person’s lasting impact on the Cold War, and the future of the world
Castro's model of socialism can point to several achievements during his rule. for instance Cuba's education and healthcare systems are far more developed than its neighbours. life expectancy at Birth in Cuba is nearly on par with that In The USA. despite the fact that Cuba spends 1/20th of what the United States spends on health care per capita. In addition Illiteracy has been completely eradicate by the educational system that was placed during Fidel Castro as the leader. finally Castro gave Cuba a strong sense of national identity due to his many clashes with the far more developed neighbour the United states.
However in order to maintain power, Castro Brutally suppressed the personal and political freedoms of the average Cuban. Who additionally suffered from the travel and economic embargo imposed on Cuba as a result of Castro's political alliances. as a result of these embargos Cuba became dependent on the Soviet union for trade and resources. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Cuba took a huge economic hit due to its over dependance on the resources of the soviet union.
However in order to maintain power, Castro Brutally suppressed the personal and political freedoms of the average Cuban. Who additionally suffered from the travel and economic embargo imposed on Cuba as a result of Castro's political alliances. as a result of these embargos Cuba became dependent on the Soviet union for trade and resources. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Cuba took a huge economic hit due to its over dependance on the resources of the soviet union.
Bibliography
"American Experience: TV's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/jfk-attack/>.
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/fidel-castro-9241487>.
"Fidel Castro." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <https://global.britannica.com/biography/Fidel-Castro>.
History.com Staff. "Fidel Castro." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fidel-castro>.
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zttpfg8>
Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <http://www.biography.com/people/fidel-castro-9241487>.
"Fidel Castro." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <https://global.britannica.com/biography/Fidel-Castro>.
History.com Staff. "Fidel Castro." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2016. <http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/fidel-castro>.
N.p., n.d. Web. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/timelines/zttpfg8>