1. Why was Castro successful in his bid to overthrow Batista?

2. Quality of Castro´s commanders: Raul Castro, Camilo Cienfuegos and Che Guevara ( Sierra Maestra guerilla campaign), Frank Pais (Urban revolutionary movements, Campaign of sabotage and propaganda)
The area the Fidelists started their operations was an important part of the island with only a few Rural Guard ( police force) outposts ( the poor Eastern provinces, Oriente)
The local population had been terrorised by the Rural Guard commanders for decades→ the growing success of the guerilla troops of Castro

3. 4) Batista´s army became unloyal and unreliable, Batista´s regime was corrupt and barbarious 5) Economic recessions in the Cuban economy; the 1934 trade treaty with the USA had removed tariffs and contributed to the inability of Cuban industry to develop →growing unemployment 6) The role of the USA; in the late 1957 the US government took away their support to Batista; a caretaker government acceptable to the US interest was formed→ an arms embargo was placed on both sides→ made it difficult to resist Castro 7) Castro´s ability to use the media and propaganda ( e.g. Herbert Matthews Interview, New york Times)

4. Ideology and the nature of the state
Key questions
What role did idology play in Castro´s rise to power before 1959?
Did Castro become a communist after 1959?
What is the nature of Cuba´s Castroist state?

5. The role of ideology in Castro´s rise before 1959
Richard Gott; nationalism was more important in Castro´s ideology than socialism
Jose MARTI´s influence:
Herbert Matthews; Castro´s attack on the Moncada barracks was inspired by patriotism, with aims similar to those of Marti and Guiteras ( served in Grau´s democratic government)
1) Castro´s First Manifesto ” Manifesto of the Revolutionaries of Moncada to the Nation”/ July 1953
- independence from foreign control
- social justice
- economic and industrial modernisation
- the 1940 Constitution

6. 2) Castro´s second manifesto ” ” History will absolve me”/ October 1953
- promises of agrarian reform
- rent reductions
- industrial development and modernisation
- expansion of education and healthcare
- taking control of public utilities ( had been mostly under the US control)
3) Several manifestos issued in the Sierra Maestra; the manifesto of 1958 to help the unsuccessful 9 April general strike
4) After the Caracas Pact (an united opposition against Batista) a new manifesto with the mention of an agrarian reform ( but no radical socialist policies)

7. Nationalism and Cubiana
Cubiana; a radical version of Cuban nationalism, refers to the collective national interest of Cuba
- meant modernisation; socio-economic and cultural development of Cuba on Cuban terms ( not on the terms of liberal capitalism and foreign imperialism)
Before 1959 Castro´s political ideas appear to have been more nationalistic and less radical than those of the closest allies ( Raul and Che)
- a Cuban version of ” socialism in one country”
- Castro was really inspired by the various Latin and Central America anti-imperialist movements

8. Did USA make Castro a communist?
Sebastian Balfour; before 1959 Castro hd a radical programme of reform, but no clear view of the future direction of the revolution
After Batista´s fall; president Urrutia´s goverment with moderate members of the 26 July movement, acceptable to the USA aswell
1959 Agrarian reform paved the way for the US anger
USA issued a Note of Protest and began to plan Castro´s overthrow

9. USA started CIA sabotage attacks on Cuban sugar mills
Castro began to establish trade links with other countries, including the Soviet Union
- e.g. in 1959 Guevara visited various developing countries to find new markets for Cuban sugar
- Cuba signed agreements with the Soviet Union together with other Eastern European countries ( SU promised to buy a million tonnes of sugar each year for five years and to provide loans for Cuba)
* In June of 1960 Castro nationalised the oil companies, all the US owned properties including sugal mills ( The US had reduced the import quota for Cuban sugar, leaving Cuba with huge anounts of unsold Sugar; SU´s help for that!)

10. In Sept. 1960, Castro´s first speech to condemn US imperialism ( ” First declaration of Havana)
US embargo on all exports to Cuba ( except food and medical supplies) imposed in Nov. 1960
Castro turned to the Soviet Union; SU promised to buy all the Cuban sugar!
The Bay of Pigs, 1961
The Cuban Missile Crisis 1962

11. Identify the nature of Cuba´s Castroist state
How did Castro´s statements and policies reflect the views of Marx and Engels?
To what extent is it fair to say that Cuba is a democracy?