The Cuban Revolution

• 1. In 1952, Cuba had been taken over by Batista, a very US-friendly dictator
• 2. Batista allowed US firms special privileges in Cuba, and the US Mafia ran organised crime
• 3. A Cuban lawyer, Fidel Castro, started opposing Batista. He was imprisoned in 1953
• 4. In 1955, Castro was released and went into exile in Mexico and then the US
• 5. On December 2 1956, Castro and 81 companions invaded Cuba
• 6. They spent the next two years fighting Batista using guerrilla warfare tactics
• 7. By late December 1958 Castro and his companions were close to the capital, Havana
• 8. On 1 January 1959 Batista fled Cuba for the USA, and Castro became leader a week later
• Consequently, Castro expelled the US Mafia from Havana
• Consequently, Castro introduced socialist-style reforms like breaking up large farms
• Consequently, Cuba became increasingly left wing and Castro included communists in the government
• Consequently, Castro made anti-American speeches and urged other Central American countries to have left-wing revolutions
• Consequently, Cuba became closer to the USSR
• Consequently, the USA launched the Bay of Pigs invasion
• Consequently, the Cuban Revolution became a factor in causing the Cuban Missile Crisis