Cuban revolution

• January 1959


  • Cuba’s pro-American dictator, Fulgencio Babista, is overthrown by a revolution led by communist Fidel Castro and an army of 300 trained fighters.
  • Castro goes to meet Eisenhower; Eisenhower refused to see him or recognise his government
• May 1959

  Castor’s land reform act bans foreign-owned property in Cuba; the USA refuses compensation money.
• January 1960


  American land in Cuba is seized
• February 1960


  Castro makes an agreement with the USSR to sell its Cuban sugar and to buy from it soviet oil
• March 1960


  American refineries in Cuba refused to take Soviet oil, so Castro nationalises them
• July 1960

  The USA, banned all trade with Cuba, the USSR agrees to buy more Cuban sugar, and to provide more goods and loans to Castro