Updated:

The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

During the 1950s, the world was still undergoing the impact of an international ‘Cold War’ atmosphere; an environment in which Cuba required and got the solidarity of the Soviet Union. The renewal of friendly relations between Cuba and the Soviet Union made many specialists interpret the Cuban struggle as an East-West confrontation.

Prior to the revolution, the U.S Congress in 1901 had passed the Platt Amendment and incorporated it into Cuba’s Constitution until 1934; which had given the U.S direct intervention in the domestic affairs of this Island nation. Cuba became a U.S military colony and a naval base was established in Guantanamo bay. By the 1950s, the U.S controlled approximately 80% of Cuban utilities, 90% of her mines, and close to 100% of Cuban oil refineries.

The U.S also had considerable control of Cuba’s sugar industry and cattle ranches. U.S hotel owners, gambling syndicates, and real estate operators had found an investor paradise in Cuba and the U.S also supported Fulgencio Batista’s government. The Cuban revolution was therefore a war against U.S imperialism after whose victory the U.S lost tremendous profits as well as its former holdings on this Island. A new relationship between Cuba and the Soviet Union ensued with the latter providing credits and oil to Cuba, as well as a market for her sugar after the U.S imposed an embargo.

The victory achieved by the Cuban Revolution on January 1, 1959, was a very significant news event even to those who had little knowledge about Cuba. For many people, Cuba appeared like a new discovery and a lot of prejudice and ignorance clouded the encounter of this part of the world. The revolution had a unique character that provoked a lot of surprises, curiosity, and fascination. A combined force of urban revolters and rural guerilla fighters had managed to oust from power, the dictator Fulgencio Batista.

Yet, it was so fascinating to learn that the forces that waged and sustained this uprising were practically unknown to the wider world and operated independently from any supranational agency or the international socialist movement. Moreover, the Cuban struggle took place in direct conflict with U.S imperialism and the revolutionaries involved in this struggle appear to have been very willing to identify with socialism. The vents surrounding the Cuban revolution shocked analysts and researchers, as well as the world at large because it gave a clear indication that the war between capitalist imperialism and socialism was far from over.

Through a very tough struggle, the bearded rebels under Fidel Castro had managed to oust the tyrannical dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. The victory was warmly welcomed by the Cuban people as well as in the rest of Latin America and abroad. Batista’s dictatorship had become notoriously brutal and corrupt and too many people, Fidel Castro and his group of lieutenants appeared to represent a renewal of socialism. The Cuban revolution’s ideological and military conflict turned Latin America into a very important theatre by creating an economic alliance with the Soviet Union soon after victory. This caused alarm in the U.S with the CIA declaring an embargo in 1960.

A struggle ensued between Cuba and the U.S and in 1962 when the Soviet Union decided to station missiles in Cuba, the world came the closest it could ever be to nuclear war. Through Fidel Castro, the Cuban revolution ushered communism into Cuba and the nation became a Soviet client as well as a police. After the collapse of the Soviet Union however, Fidel Castro found new patrons in Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez as well a rising China. Venezuela which is rich in oil has become Cuba’s supporter.

50 years after the euphoria of the Cuban revolution has disappeared, Cuban life is characterized by a dull occurrence of queues and shortages although starving is not common and violent crime has been put under control. Cuba is the only country in the region where citizens have no freedom of assembly and expression. Fidel Castro continues to stubbornly cling to Cuban communism and he is said to have outlasted the collapse of the Soviet Union and Berlin to experience new alliances not only in Latin America but elsewhere. The Cuban leader currently suffers ill health and has relinquished power to his younger brother Raul who may be more realistic and open to capitalism.

Bibliography

Raymond Lotta, Raymond, (2006), “ Web.

he Economist, (2008), The Cuban Revolution at 50: Heroic Myth and Prosaic Failure.

Alarcon de Quesda, Ricardo, (2009), Monthly Review, “The Long March of the Cuban Revolution.”

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2021, November 4). The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-history-of-the-cuban-revolution/

Work Cited

"The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation." IvyPanda, 4 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-history-of-the-cuban-revolution/.

References

IvyPanda. (2021) 'The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation'. 4 November.

References

IvyPanda. 2021. "The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation." November 4, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-history-of-the-cuban-revolution/.

1. IvyPanda. "The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation." November 4, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-history-of-the-cuban-revolution/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The History of the Cuban Revolution: East-West Confrontation." November 4, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-history-of-the-cuban-revolution/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1