Cuba World Studies February 20

I. Background Monroe Doctrine (1823): US stated the American continents were no longer open to colonization by European powers. Roosevelt Corollary (1904): US claims “international police power” in the Western Hemisphere

Cuba remained a colony of the Spanish until 1898 It was Spain’s most important source of sugar People kept trying to expel the Spanish from the island with little success

II. U.S. Involvement Many people in the US identified with the Cubans and their fight for independence Americans did business in Cuba Americans had plantation, factories and warehouses US bought most of its sugar from Cuba

III. Spanish-America War February 15, 1898 US battleship the USS Maine mysteriously blows up in Havana Harbor –US quickly blames Spain April 24, 1898 the US and Spain will go to war with each other War lasted 5 months, in the end the US won Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines, and Guam

Cuba gained independence in 1898 with help from the US -Independent, but under the influence of the US - US troops would remain there until 1901 forcing Cuba to accept the Platt Amendment

IV. The Platt Amendment In 1901 the US agreed to remove troops if Cuba agreed to following conditions: 1. Will not lease land to anyone but the US 2. Will not borrow money from anyone other than the US 3. Will not make treaties with other countries 4. If US feels Cuba’s independence is being threatened the US can militarily intervene 5. Had to let the US keep Guantanamo Bay as a military base

Cubans resented these restrictions Good Neighbor Policy will put an end to restrictions but not the resentment of Cuban people

V. Cuban Revolution American businesses owned A LOT of sugar plantations, mills, etc in Cuba Despite the GN policy, the US supported dictators sympathetic to US investments In the 1950s Fidel Castro began rallying Cubans against the corrupt Fulgencio Batista

Fulgencio Batista

Castro at Student Protest

Late 1958, Castro, Che Guevara & Camilo Cienfuegos each led forces into Cuba Batista fled to the US –All the world cheered –Until…

VI. Communism in Cuba Castro nationalized all foreign owned land & redistributed it to Cuban poor Set up national health care & increased education Life for the poor improved, but 1000s of middle class/wealthy fled Cuba –Primarily for the nearby US

VII. Cuba’s Cold War Role Cuban leaders were never able to establish an economy without selling sugar internationally US tried to twist Castro’s arm with an embargo, a ban on trade

Rather than give in, Castro turned to the USSR to buy sugar US cut diplomatic ties in 1960 –1961 Bay of Pigs US financed an invasion by 1500 Cuban exiles Underestimated Cuban loyalty to Fidel As a result it was under-manned and the US did not provide the expected air coverage 1100 were taken prisoner and it cost the US $53 million to ransom them –1962 Cuban Missile Crisis