2. Revolution and Intervention
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Starting Points Map: Turmoil in Latin America
Main Idea / Reading Focus
Trends in Latin America
The Cuban Revolution
Other Conflicts

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4. Revolution and Intervention
Main Idea
In reaction to economic and social conditions in Latin America after World War II, many Central American countries experienced revolutions that involved intervention by the United States.
Reading Focus
What were some key economic and social trends in postwar Latin America?
How did the Cuban Revolution come about and what changes did it bring?
What other revolutions arose in Central America?

5. Trends in Latin America
After World War II many countries in Latin America struggled to address problems of poverty and inequality.
Roots of poverty, inequality go back to history of colonialism
Most land, wealth in hands of elite
Economies based on agricultural exports
To decrease dependence on foreign countries, import-substitution led to industrialization policy
Economic Trends
Local industries developed to replace need to import manufactured goods
Dependence on foreign countries remained for investment, technology, loans, military aid
Rural land use remained a major issue
Industrialization

6. Economic Trends Industrialization did not solve land problems
Rural lands
Owned by small group of elites, many with ties to U.S. business interests
Peasants struggled to find land to farm
Addressing the issue
Some countries took land from large landholders, gave to landless peasants
Mixed results, but still major economic trend

7. Social Trends Cities Large gap between rich, poor major social issue
Liberation Theology promoted by priests
Church should be active in struggle for economic, social equality
Criticized by Catholic Church, but popular in Catholic Latin America
Cities
Unable to make living in rural areas, people flocked to region’s cities
Movement caused rapid urbanization
Many found life no easier in cities
Shortages of food, housing, safe drinking water presented challenges

8. Summarize
How did people in Latin America try to deal with some of the region’s economic and social problems?
Answer(s): industrialization, land reform, migration to cities, Liberation Theology movement

9. The Cuban Revolution
In Cuba, social and economic trends led to a revolution. There, social inequality and heavy U.S. influence led to a revolt that brought communism to this large Caribbean island.
Cuba very dependent on U.S.
1950s, hotels, casinos owned by wealthy Americans, Cuba’s elite
U.S. owned sugar, tobacco plantations
Reasons for Revolt
Valuable exports from plantations
Little land for peasants to farm
Cuba one of richest Latin American countries
Most Cubans could not earn living
Rich and Poor
Business interests encouraged U.S. government support of corrupt dictators
Anticommunist Fulgencio Batista took power in 1952 military coup
U.S. Support

10. The Cuban Revolution The Coming of Castro Batista’s Cuba
“A rich country with too many poor people”
Batista’s coup stirred discontent, nationalism among poor
Revolutionaries under Castro
Led unsuccessful attack, 1953; guerrilla war became full-scale revolution, 1955
Batista fled 1959; Castro took control

11. Goals of the Revolution
The Cuban Revolution
Broad support for revolution to remove Batista
Most did not know what kind of revolution Castro would lead
Middle-class Cubans supported moderate democratic reforms
Many Castro revolutionaries, including Che Guevara, wanted Marxist regime
Goals of the Revolution
Castro focused on ending U.S. dominance, redistributing wealth, reforming society
Energies went to restructuring economy, society, government, foreign policy
1961, program virtually eliminated illiteracy in one year
Created medical care system, raised life expectancy
Castro’s Programs

12. The Cuban Revolution Changes under Castro Limited size of landholdings
Nationalized private property, businesses
To ensure he had power to make changes
Took full control of government
Took away freedom of press
Result of radical actions
Led Cuba more toward communism
Led Cuba toward confrontation with U.S.

13. The Cuban Revolution U.S. Involvement Organization of American States
Cuba’s move toward communism troubled U.S. leaders
Viewed Latin America as part of U.S. sphere of influence
Wanted to keep communism out of region
Organization of American States
Set up shortly after World War II to promote economic, military cooperation
1961, U.S.-trained invasion force of Cuban exiles landed at Bay of Pigs
Mission to spark nationwide uprising against Castro; mission failed
Cuban Missile Crisis
1962, CIA learned Soviet Union building nuclear missile site in Cuba
President John Kennedy ordered naval blockage to keep Soviet ships out
World came close to nuclear war before compromise, missiles removed

14. The Cuban Revolution Results of the Revolution
Mixed results since Cold War; good access to health care, education
People’s civil liberties restricted under one-party system
Government jails opponents, spies on citizens
Results of the Revolution
Mixed results as well; economy suffered from U.S. embargo
Castro’s policies led many Cubans to leave country, many for U.S.; caused economy to struggle
Castro relied on Soviet Union for economic support; Soviet collapse in 1991 hurt economy
Economic Effects of Revolution

15. Identify Cause and Effect
What were some of the causes and effects of the Cuban Revolution?
Answer(s): Causes—social inequality, U.S. influence, revolts; Effects—access to health care and education, but restricted freedom, economy still suffers

16. Other Conflicts Causes Guatemala U.S. Concerns CIA Intervention
Economic conditions not only cause of revolutions
Political corruption, repression
U.S. support for corrupt governments stirred nationalism
Guatemala
1952, Guatemalan president Arbenz used land reform to redistribute land to peasants
Policy hurt American-owned United Fruit Company
U.S. Concerns
Pressure from United Fruit Company, concerns over Arbenz’ s leftist leanings
U.S. decided to remove from power
CIA Intervention
Intervened in coup that toppled Arbenz, replaced him
Start of repressive dictatorship
Civil war raged from 1970s until peace accord of 1996

17. Other Revolutions El Salvador Civil War Reagan Administration
Military dictatorships kept power through unfair elections, repression
1980 assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero, outspoken government critic, sparked bloody civil war between Communist guerillas, army
Civil War
Peasant villagers often caught in middle
Government “death squads” roamed countryside, killed anyone suspected of aiding opposition
Reagan Administration
Supported Salvadoran government and army
Provided money and military aid
Violence continued into the 1990s

18. Other Revolutions Nicaragua Sandinistas Contras
Nicaragua struggled with instability
Ruled for four decades by Somoza family
Wealthy family, controlled about one quarter of country’s farmland
Anti-communist views kept them in favor with U.S.
Corruption, violent tactics alarmed many Nicaraguans
1979, Somoza forced to flee
Sandinistas, revolutionary group took over capital
Ruled as junta, group of leaders who rule jointly
Launched economic, social reforms
Allowed political opposition
Sandinistas
Reagan administration cut off aid
Sandinistas looked to socialist countries for financial aid
Contras, U.S.-trained, funded rebel group, began campaign of violence
1984 election kept Sandinistas in power, though violence continued
Contras

19. Make Generalizations
How did U.S. influence affect conflicts in Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua?
Answer(s): civil war, violence, some corrupt leaders overthrown, economic problems, some financial and military aid