IB Docs (2) Team
1. Castro: Emergence of Cuba as an authoritarian state
Cuba had been a Spanish colony until 1898 and then, following three-and-a-half years of US military rule it gained formal independence in 1902. However, US influence remained strong; the Platt Agreement allowed the US the right to intervene in Cuba's politics and the US had a dominant role in the Cuban economy. The Cuban population experienced economic and social inequalities and governments were notorious for high levels of corruption. However, it was under the pro-US dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista that conditions worsened and the scene was set for the Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro.
Theme One: Emergence of Cuba as an authoritarian state
1. What were the circumstances in which Castro become leader of Cuba?
2. How did Castro establish his power?
As you can see from the map above, Cuba lies only 145 kilometers (90 miles) from the coast of Florida and it was for this reason that the US considered the island of Cuba to be within its sphere of influence. It was determined that any government in Cuba should reflect and protect US interests, which were considerable. In the economic area, US companies controlled most of the financial, railway, electricity, telegraph and sugar industries. The Platt Amendment of 1901 had given the US the right to establish a naval base at Guantanamo Bay and stipulated that the US would 'exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence' and for 'the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property and individual liberty'.
When Batista took power in 1952, suspending the constitution, he was supported by the US and in return continued to allow the US to dominate the economy.
Fidel Castro Ruz, born in 1926, was the son of a wealthy Spanish farmer in the east of Cuba. He attended the University of Havana, studying law, and joined the Orthodox Party whose aims were to end government corruption and nationalise US-owned companies. He quickly gained popularity due to his oratory skills and planned to run for a seat in Congress in 1952; however these elections were never held due to Batista's coup.
From the very start, Castro criticised the rule of Batista, and his first direct attempt to depose him came in 1953 when, with his brother Raul and Abel Santamaria, he led an attack on a military garrison, the Moncada barracks, on 26th July. The aim of the assault was to seize weapons to use in a general rising against Batista. Castro also believed that a successful attack would inspire popular support for the overthrow of the regime.
Watch this episode from the People’s Century: War of the flea from 04:13 to 12:45.
Discuss with a partner the factors that led Castro to lead a guerilla war against Batista’s regime in Cuba and the nature of Castro's revolution.
Read through the sources below. What evidence do these sources provide on:
- The nature of Batista's rule and the state of Cuba before 1959?
- The appeal of Castro and his ideas?
Source A
From a book on the history of Cuba written by the Cuban Communist Party in 1977
US investment in Cuba totaling 50 million dollars in 1896, went up to 160 million in 1906, to 205 million in 1911, and 1.2 billion in 1923, which included the ownership of three-quarters of the sugar industry. The corrupt governments and the repeated Yankee interventions in the first few decades of the neo-colonial republic did their job of handing over the country’s’ wealth to foreign masters
Source B
From a report written by Arthur Schlesinger for the US government on the state of Batista’s Cuba
The corruption of the Government, the brutality of the police, the regime’s indifference to the needs of the people for education, medical care, for social justice and economic justice…is an open invitation for revolution.
Source C
From a modern textbook
Batista’s government favoured the elites and neglected the mass of the population. Illiteracy remained high and housing was poor, with a shortage of land available for small holdings. The repressive and corrupt nature of the regime started to alienate ever the US government and the military. Meanwhile, the middle classes had no voice in government
Source D
Extract from History Will Absolve Me setting out his aims, written between 1953 – 56 whilst Castro was in prison
- Restoration of the Constitution of 1940 ‘until such time as the people should decide to modify or change it’
- Full ownership of small farms worked by tenants, share croppers and squatters
- The right of workers and employees ‘to share 30 per cent of the profits of all large industrial, mercantile, and mining enterprises as well as sugar mills’
- The right of agricultural workers on sugar plantations ‘to share 55 per cent of the value of sugarcane produced’
- Confiscation of ‘all property and wealth secured through politically protected fraud and graft during previous regimes’
Source E
From Castro’s speech to a Cuban Court in July 1953
Except for a few food, lumber and textile industries, Cuba continues to be primarily a producer of raw materials. We export sugar to import candy, we export hides to import shoes, we export iron to import ploughs. Everyone agrees with the urgent need to industrialise the nation, that we need steel industries, paper and chemical industries, that we must improve our cattle and grain production, the technique and the processing in our food industry in order to defend ourselves against he ruinous competition of the Europeans in cheese products, condensed milk, liquors, and edible oils, and of the united states in canned goods; that we need cargo ships, that tourism should be an enormous source of revenue. But the capitalists insist that the workers remain under the yoke. The state sits back with its arms crossed and industrialisation can wait forever.
Source F
A historian writing on the state of Cuba before the revolution
Every section of society was dependent on the sugar industry – either its production or the importation and resale of American manufactured goods that had been purchased with the profits from the sale of sugar in the United States. This also meant insecurity for workers. People’s livelihoods were dependent on successful harvests; a bad harvest meant fewer jobs and lower wages.
In small groups read through the chart below. Identify the long causes of the Cuban Revolution up to 1953. Create an infographic of your own that: a] includes the information below and b] establish clear links between the economic factors, foreign influence, social tensions and political issues in Cuba at this time.
As you will have seen from the video, Castro's attack on the Moncada barracks failed as the army was able to defend the barracks. Around 70 of the 140 rebels were killed including Santamaría The rebels that escaped were hunted down by Batista’s forces and Castro and his brother were arrested.
Batista wanted to use the ‘trial’ of the surviving rebel leaders as a show piece of the regime’s strength. It was to act as a warning and deterrent to would-be opponents. Castro, a trained lawyer, chose to defend himself. It was during his trial that he made his infamous ‘History will absolve me’ speech.
The 26th July movement was established and named after the date of the attack on the Moncada barracks. Castro presented his movement as ‘martyrs of the dictatorship’ and Batista’s brutal response to the attack further undermined his regime and galvanized support for the 26th July movement in Cuba.
In pairs examine the transcript of the full speech. It is very long. If you scroll down to the end you will read Castro’s powerful closing statement.
‘Condemn me. It does not matter. History will absolve me.’
In pairs read through the speech and identify where Castro sets out his ideas on:
A] political reform
B] social reform
C] economic reform
What conclusions can you and your partner draw about the nature of Castro’s ‘social justice’ ambitions for Cuba?
In groups discuss the following timeline of events leading to the outbreak of civil war.
What were the short term causes of this war?
Identify the reasons Cubans may have had to support a violent uprising against Batista’s regime.
- 1954 Batista holds elections whilst his opponents were disarray, the PSP banned and Castro was in prison. Batista presented his election victory as demonstrating his legitimacy as a democratically elected leader.
- 1955 Batista releases political prisoners in a gesture to underline his ‘democratic credentials’. Castro is released into exile in Mexico.
- Revolutionary groups grow in the countryside and engage in ‘guerrilla’ style acts of sabotage. Oil refineries, sugar mills and the infrastructure such as railroads and telephone lines were attacked.
- Food supplies and communications are disrupted leading to further discontent in the cities.
- Batista under pressure to hold another election – refuses to act.
- 1956 2nd December, Castro returns to Cuba on board a yacht called the Granma with 82 rebels and supply of weapons
- Leader of the urban section of the 26th July movement, Frank Pais, had prepared to lead a coordinated uprising in Santiago de Cuba once the Granma landed on the southern coast of Oriente. However, the Granma was delayed by two days and contact between the groups failed.
- Government forces detected the Granma’s forces as they struggled ashore through a swamp. Only 12 rebels survived an ambush by Batista’s forces.
- Castro led his forces into the Sierra Maestra in order to recover and rebuild. The civil war had begun.
Using the information from the video and sources above, identify relevant information to support the role of each of the following factors (listed in the grid below) in the emergence of Castro’s authoritarian state. Copy out the grid and complete with your evidence.
For content and ATL on how Castro was able to take power, go to Case Study: Cuban Civil War (ATL) and go to guiding question 4: How did Castro wage a guerilla war?
Teacher only boxThe following video also gives a good overview of Castro's take over of power
Watch this video until 25 minutes.
Add to your notes on the following areas:
- The relationship of Cuba and the US before 1959
- Factors that influenced Castro as a young man
- Political actions taken by Castro as a young man
- The impact of Batista's coup and rule
- The Attack on Moncada Barracks and its impact
- The significance of 'History will Absolve me'
- The activities and tactics of Castro and the rebels in the Sierra Maestra mountains
- The activities and tactics of the rebels in the urban areas
- Reasons that allowed Castro to ultimately take over Cuba
- The nature of the revolution in 1959
Continue watching the video above from 25 minutes until 38 minutes and make notes on the ways in which Castro consolidated his power both politically, socially and economically.
On taking power, Castro took the following political measures to consolidate his power:
People that had been in Batista’s government were imprisoned
Batista’s military personnel were imprisoned
Provisional government set up in January 1959 included many liberals
Provisional government was led by a moderate, President Manuel Urrutia and Prime Minister Jose Miro Cardona. Castro was head of the armed forces
Land and property held by Batista’s supporters was confiscated
Batista’s associates were quickly put on trial; they were then executed or given long jail terms
Castro used radio broadcast to maintain his high profile and to maintain public perception that he was the ‘real’ leader.
Cardona resigned after 6 weeks and Castro took over as prime minister
In 1961 different revolutionary organizations - 26th July movement, the PSP and a revolutionary student organization - were merged into the Integrated Revolutionary Organization [ORI]. In 1962 this party was renamed the United Party of the Socialist Revolution of Cuba. This party was under led by Castro. This party was later renamed, the Cuban Communist Party, in 1965 [PCC]. No other political parties were permitted to run in elections.
Used fear of threat posed by US to rally nationalist support behind his regime.
President Urrutia resigned in July 1959 due to Castro’s failure to hold elections and his opposition to the increasing influence of communists in the provisional government [the Popular Socialist Party [PSP].
As communist influence and Castro’s political control increased, opposition even from within the 26th July movement grew.
Huber Matos resigned as a military chief when there was no date set for elections, despite Castro’s attempts to persuade him not to. Matos was subsequently arrested, put on trial for treason and served 20 years in prison
Use of legal means to consolidate control
- In addition, Castro implemented reforms which garnered popular support for his leadership:
Work was provided for the unemployed
Land was distributed to the peasants
Working conditions were improved for urban workers
Middle classes could be professionals
Women would have equal rights
There were improved living standards, including education and healthcare
In pairs, use the information above to discuss the following questions:
- Which groups in Cuban society would have benefitted from Castro’s reforms between 1959 and 1962?
- How would these reforms have strengthened support for the regime?
- Between 1959 and 1962 over 250,000 Cubans left Cuba. Identify which groups would not have benefitted and may have opposed the reforms.
- Discuss the reasons for Castro allowing those opposed to his regime to leave Cuba.
- What might this exodus of certain groups mean for Cuban society under Castro?
Which of the above points provide evidence that Castro used coercion and which that he used persuasion to establish his power?
Overall, do you consider persuasion or coercion to be more significant in Castro's consolidation of power?
The role of Castro
In small groups review the role of Castro’s leadership in the overthrow of Batista’s regime from the previous activities.
In your group research Castro’s role in more depth between 1956 and 1965. You need to include his speeches, his policies and his decisions. Attempt to find evidence that it was Castro’s leadership that rallied support behind his movement, facilitated alliances with other groups opposing Batista and that it was his policies that established a single party state by 1965.
Write a persuasive report arguing that Castro’s leadership was the key reason for the overthrow of Batista and the establishment of an authoritarian state in Cuba
In groups of three consider which were the most significant factors in causing the Cuban revolution. Use your mind map from the task above.
Each student should make a case for a different theme as being the most significant: economic, political or social factors and then take it in turns to argue their case. Each point should be backed up by evidence
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