| Front | Back | | --- | --- | | How does historian Samuel Farber characterize the nature of Castro's regime? | He argues it was an authoritarian regime from the outset, where genuine social achievements were undermined by political repression and the suppression of democratic rights. | | How does historian Richard Gott argue we should evaluate the achievements of the Cuban Revolution? | He argues they must be weighed against the constraints of the US embargo and Cold War hostility, emphasizing genuine gains in healthcare, education, and racial equality. | | According to historian Lillian Guerra, how did the Cuban state use the Cold War context to control its population? | The regime exploited the external threat of US intervention to justify propaganda and surveillance, creating a culture of conformity and silencing internal dissent. | | Why did the 1959 Cuban Revolution, initially non-communist, rapidly align with Marxism-Leninism by 1961? |

US hostility (sparked by the nationalisation of American-owned businesses) forced Castro to seek an alternative patron.
The Soviet Union offered economic and military security to guarantee the regime's survival.

| | The CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961 failed to overthrow Castro, instead boosting Cuban nationalism and pushing Cuba closer to the USSR. | The CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961 failed to overthrow Castro, instead boosting Cuban nationalism and pushing Cuba closer to the USSR. | | How did the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis affect Castro's relationship with the Soviet Union? | Castro felt betrayed by Khrushchev because the USSR negotiated a resolution with the US without consulting the Cuban government, creating lasting tension. | | How did the permanent threat of US invasion after 1962 transform Cuba's domestic political structure? | It justified permanent militarisation, the creation of neighbourhood surveillance networks (CDRs), and a persistent siege mentality. | | At the local level, the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDRs) monitored Cuban citizens for dissent, establishing a pervasive surveillance network. | At the local level, the Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (CDRs) monitored Cuban citizens for dissent, establishing a pervasive surveillance network. | | Why did Cuba remain dependent on a sugar monoculture despite revolutionary goals of economic diversification? |

The Soviet Union bought sugar above world market rates, incentivizing high production.
Disastrous state campaigns like the 10-million-tonne harvest (1970) locked resources into sugar at the expense of other sectors.

| | What was the dual domestic impact of the US trade embargo (el bloqueo) on Cuba's economy? |

Economic disruption: Cut off access to spare parts, medicines, and nearest markets.
Political scapegoat: Allowed the regime to blame all internal economic failures on US policy.

| | How did the collapse of the USSR in 1991 affect Cuba's highly praised healthcare and education systems? | Their quality declined significantly because they had been heavily subsidized by Soviet funds, which disappeared overnight. | | How did the Cuban revolutionary regime persecute the LGBTQ+ community during the 1960s and 1970s? | By sending them to forced labour camps known as the UMAP (Military Units to Aid Production). | | How did mass emigration, such as the 1980 Mariel Boatlift, paradoxically serve as a "safety valve" for Castro's regime? |

Defused opposition: Allowed active dissidents and unhappy citizens to leave rather than organize resistance.
Economic benefit: Created an exile community whose remittances later supported the island's economy.

| | During the Mariel Boatlift in 1980, approximately 125,000 Cubans emigrated to the US after Castro temporarily opened the port. | During the Mariel Boatlift in 1980, approximately 125,000 Cubans emigrated to the US after Castro temporarily opened the port. | | What structural vulnerability did the "Special Period" (1991–2000) expose in Cuba's revolutionary economic model? | It exposed Cuba's total economic dependency on Soviet patronage rather than sustainable internal development. | | What market-oriented reforms was Cuba forced to introduce to survive the "Special Period"? |

Legalization of the US dollar.
Opening the island to mass tourism.
Permitting limited private enterprise.

| | What did the "Padilla Affair" of 1971 signal regarding intellectual and artistic freedom in revolutionary Cuba? | It signaled a strict crackdown on intellectual freedom, establishing that cultural production must strictly adhere to the state's revolutionary line. | |

How did the transition depicted in this January 1959 image transform Cuba's geopolitical position in the Western Hemisphere?

| It established the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere, turning Cuba into a central Cold War flashpoint just 90 miles from the US coast. | |

What does Cuba's military intervention in Angola (1975–1991) demonstrate about its role in the global Cold War?

| It demonstrates Cuba's active role as a Soviet Cold War ally, projecting military power and revolutionary internationalism into Africa. | | Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba entered the Special Period, during which its GDP fell by 35%. | Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba entered the Special Period, during which its GDP fell by 35%. | |

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| SOVIET IRBM SITES | |

| SAN CRISTÓBAL AREA | |

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| INCH 3 | |

| FUEL STORAGE |

Paper 1 - The Move to Global War6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Rights and Protest6 subtopics

Paper 1 - Conflict and Intervention6 subtopics

Paper 2 - Independence Movements5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Emergence and Development of Democratic States5 subtopics

Paper 2 - Authoritarian States7 subtopics

Paper 2 - Causes and Effects of 20th Century Wars4 subtopics

Paper 2 - The Cold War: Superpower Tensions and Rivalries4 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Europe18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of the Americas18 subtopics

Paper 3 - History of Asia and Oceania18 subtopics

IB History Nations - Cuba Flashcards

Flashcards for Nations - Cuba

Flashcards for Nations - Cuba - IB