IB History Nations - Cuba Notes

The Cold War and Cuba

The Cuban Revolution (1959)

1. Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement overthrew the US-backed Batista dictatorship in January 1959, establishing a revolutionary government that rapidly moved towards socialism.
2. The revolution was not initially communist, but US hostility (especially the nationalisation of American-owned businesses) pushed Castro towards alliance with the USSR and formal adoption of Marxism-Leninism by 1961.
3. Cuba became the only communist state in the Western Hemisphere, transforming it into a central flashpoint of the Cold War just 90 miles from the US coast.
4. Land reform, nationalisation of industry, and the elimination of the old elite transformed Cuban society, creating strong support among the poor but driving the wealthy into exile.

Bay of Pigs and the Missile Crisis

1. The CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion (April 1961) was a humiliating failure that strengthened Castro's position, boosted Cuban nationalism, and pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union.
2. The Cuban Missile Crisis (October 1962) brought the world to the brink of nuclear war and had profound domestic consequences - Cuba was used as a bargaining chip between superpowers.
3. Castro felt betrayed by Khrushchev for negotiating with the USA without consulting Cuba, creating lasting tension in the Soviet-Cuban relationship.
4. The crisis reinforced Cuba's permanent militarisation - the threat of US invasion justified maintaining large armed forces, neighbourhood defence committees, and a siege mentality that persisted for decades.

Soviet Alliance and Economic Dependency

1. Cuba became economically dependent on the USSR, receiving an estimated 4 dollars-6 billion annually in subsidies, including buying Cuban sugar above world market prices and selling oil below market rates.
2. Cuba joined Comecon in 1972, formally integrating into the Soviet economic bloc, which provided stable markets but also locked Cuba into a dependent relationship.
3. Soviet military aid included weapons, advisers, and intelligence support, making Cuba one of the most heavily armed countries per capita in the world.