IB History Fidel Castro Notes

Rise to Power

1. Cuba under Fulgencio Batista (1952-1959) was marked by corruption, US economic dominance, and political repression.
2. US companies controlled 40% of sugar production, 90% of mines, and 80% of utilities; Cuba was essentially a US economic dependency.
3. Castro launched the 26th of July Movement (1953) after a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks; he was imprisoned but gained national fame.
4. After exile in Mexico, Castro returned with 82 fighters on the Granma in December 1956, beginning a guerrilla war from the Sierra Maestra mountains.
5. The guerrilla campaign combined military action with propaganda, winning support from peasants, students, and the urban middle class.
6. Batista's regime collapsed in January 1959 after the army refused to fight; Castro entered Havana on 8 January to massive popular acclaim.
7. Castro initially denied being communist, presenting the revolution as nationalist and democratic; he only declared Cuba socialist in April 1961.

Consolidation and Maintenance of Power

1. Castro consolidated power through Revolutionary Tribunals that executed an estimated 500-600 Batista supporters in 1959.
2. All independent media were shut down by 1961; the state controlled all newspapers, radio, and television.
3. Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDRs, 1960) created neighbourhood surveillance networks covering over 80% of the population.
4. In 1965, the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC) became the sole legal party; no elections with competing candidates were held.
5. Castro combined roles of head of state, head of government, commander-in-chief, and First Secretary of the PCC, concentrating total personal authority.
6. The Bay of Pigs invasion (April 1961) by CIA-backed exiles was defeated in 72 hours, boosting Castro's legitimacy and justifying further repression.
7. Castro's personal charisma and marathon speeches (some lasting 7+ hours) created a direct bond with the Cuban people, bypassing institutions.

Economic Policies