Cuba History PPT PDF

Cuba Goal to explain: Cuba in the Nineteenth Century Events leading to the Spanish-American War Late involvement of U.S. in Cuba’s independence war against Spain Cuba’s ‘protectorate’ status Fulgencio Batista Fidel Castro Bay of Pigs Cuban Missile Crisis Cuba Today Images selected herein for unique...

Cuba Goal to explain: Cuba in the Nineteenth Century Events leading to the Spanish-American War Late involvement of U.S. in Cuba’s independence war against Spain Cuba’s ‘protectorate’ status Fulgencio Batista Fidel Castro Bay of Pigs Cuban Missile Crisis Cuba Today Images selected herein for unique classroom presentation and may be subject to copyright 1 Cuba in the Nineteenth Century Cuba (and Puerto Rico) did not become independent in the early 1800s like Spanish colonies on the mainland. Cuban lands were not exploited for sugar production until after the Haitian Revolution. One Cuban planter (Francisco de Arango y Parreño) summarized the plight of Haiti and the rise of Cuba’s enslaved sugar economy as, “the hour of our happiness” The number of Cuban sugar mills doubled between 1790 and 1830 The number of slaves multiplied fivefold 2 Cuba and Spain in the 1800’s: Events Leading to Cuban Independence 1774- 25% African 1827-40% African Major slave rebellions in 1844 and 1866 The “Ten Years War” between 1868-78. Independence Movement/Civil War. Not related to slave issue. Causes were basically political and economic. End colonialism and the suppression of their liberties. Even many Cuban sugar producers wanted independence, to end protectionist and monopolistic tendencies. Slavery abolished in Cuba, 1886 3 Background Information on Close Ties Between Cuba and the U.S. Cuba and the U.S. are 90 miles apart at their closest points U.S. and Cuba established close economic ties even before Cuban independence from Spain US citizens owned mills, plantations, and other businesses American businesses imported Cuban sugar and cigars US attempted to buy Cuba in 1854. President Franklin Pierce offered Spain $130 million. After 1865, U.S. business interests on the island eclipsed Spanish interests. So, culturally and historically, Cuba was linked to Spain, but linked economically to the U.S. 4 José Martí and The Cuban War of Independence (1895-1898) José Martí. The island’s most revered national figure. Voluminous writer. Patriotism and national identity. “political liberty is possible only when it is accompanied by economic independence.” Martí was killed in 1895 while participating in the movement that eventually led to the Spanish-American War of 1898. Nationalism and anti-U.S. sentiment of José Martí “It is my duty to prevent, through the independence of Cuba, the U.S.A. from spreading over the West Indies and falling with added weight upon other lands of Our America. All I have done up to now and shall do hereafter is to that end.... I know the Monster because I have lived in its lair—and my weapon is only the slingshot of David.” (written shortly before his death in 1895) 6 Spain’s Cruel Reconcentration Policy Under Valeriano Weyler (rural populations put in concentration camps) 1838-1930 Spanish General Weyler named governor of Cuba and leader of Spanish military against Cuban insurgents. SpanishAmerican War Cuban rebels controlled most of country by 1898 U.S. President McKinley sends marines to island to protect American interests U.S. Battleship “The Maine” mysteriously blows up in Havana harbor, resulting in deaths of 261 U.S. soldiers (by a mine, fire in coal bunker?) U.S. public and government blame Spain: “Remember the Maine, To Hell with Spain” U.S. declares war on Spain and easily defeats Spain. U.S. Secretary of State John Hay called this short-lived conflict and easy victory, “the splendid little war.” Guam, Philippines, Cuba, PR. ceded to the US by Spain 8 260 died (3/4 of crew) Battle of San Juan Hill 1898 Theodore Roosevelt (then Assistant Secretary of the Navy) organized a volunteer calvary given the nickname “The Rough Riders” One of bloodiest and most famous battles Roosevelt becomes a U.S. war hero and later becomes U.S. president Teller Amendment U.S. Senator Henry Teller of Colorado (1898). Amendment to Declaration of War Spain Loses Cuba. Cuba Becomes a “Protectorate” of the United States December 10, 1989: Treaty of Paris. Spain cedes Cuba, Puerto Rico, Philippines, and Guam to the United States Cubans excluded from US-Spain negotiations US occupies Cuba Platt Amendment (1901): US retains right to intervene; lease for naval base at Guantánamo Bay The 1901 Platt Amendment to Cuba’s Constitution U.S. defeated Spain in “Spanish-American War” (1898) The Platt Amendment (of the U.S.) was written into the new Cuban constitution. It: CT Senator Orville Platt (s. 1879-1905) Limited Cuba’s ability to negotiate treaties with other (non-U.S.) countries Gave the U.S. the right to establish a naval base (Guantánamo Bay) Gave the U.S. the right to interfere in Cuban affairs to protect Cuba’s independence 1 3 1901 Platt Amendment in Cuba Art. III: “The government of Cuba consents that the United States may exercise the right to intervene for the preservation of Cuban independence, the maintenance of a government adequate for the protection of life, property, and individual liberty…” 14 How important was the (1898) “SpanishAmerican War” in U.S. history? Though the U.S. had already issued its “Monroe Doctrine” in 1823 and had defeated Mexico in 1848, thus extending its territories “from sea to shining sea,”… The Spanish-American War is significant because it: (1) Ended Spanish colonialism in the New World, and (2) Converted the U.S. into a world power with vested interests in the Pacific and around the globe. U.S.-backed military dictators in Cuba during first decades of 20th century Mario García Menocal (1913-21) Gerardo Machado (1925-33) Fulgencio Batista (1940-44, 19521959) Name in red on test 16 Fulgencio Batista (r. 1940-44/1952-59) Abuses during Batista Period: Estimated 20,000 killed by police force Suppressed constitution—no elections, no free press, opponents jailed Ties to U.S. mafia in Havana that controlled gambling, drugs, and prostitution on the island Embezzlement of funds Few educational and employment opportunities for Afro-Cubans 1901-1973 17 Fidel Castro Son of wealthy farmer. Jesuit educated. Participated in unsuccessful 1953 failed attack against Batista government. Captured and jailed for a year. Traveled to Mexico where he met Ernesto “Che” Guevara, an Argentine physician and Marxist. 82 (mostly) Cubans leave Yucatan, Mexico, by boat in late 1856, land in Cuba, and begin the Cuban revolution. Only 13 of the original 82 men aboard the Granma survive combat. Batista flees to the U.S. and Castro assumes power (January 1, 1959). 1926-2016 Castro rules Cuba from 1959-2008 18 Cuban Revolutionaries of 1959: Early support by middle and some upper-class Cubans Born in Blood and Fire, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2016 W. W. Norton & Company 20 1928-1967 Ernesto “Che” Guevara Born in Argentina. Killed in Bolivia while fomenting revolution. Martyred hero of leftists 21 1960: Soviet Union and Castro sign trade agreements, and Castro embraces Soviet Union and Communism. Castro’s government confiscated approximately 1 billion dollars in property and investments owned by U.S. citizens. Washington broke diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba on January 3, 1961. 1961: Castro’s government thwarts a CIA-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs Timeline 1962: Cuban Missile Crisis. Ends when Khrushchev orders Soviet nuclear missiles out of Cuba Soviet bloc imported Cuban products and Soviet oil and manufactured goods were exported. Cuban economy subsidized by Soviet Union 1970s-80’s: Cuba trained and supplied weapons to South and Central American rebels; aided African pro-communist groups 22 Bay of Pigs Debacle, April 1961 19531961 Preparations by Eisenhower administration but carried out by Kennedy in April 1961 19611963 1,400 (ant-Castro) Cuban exiles trained by CIA in Guatemala were defeated in 3 days 2 3 100 died. 1,200 captured and (nearly all) ransomed for $53 million paid by U.S. to Cuba The Cuban Missile Crisis 24 Q: How “hot” could the Cold War have gotten in 1962? A: About 180,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit! The Stakes of the Cuban Missile Crisis, October 1628 By: Eric Baylis By: Eric Baylis 1/8 Arsenal of weapons in 1962: United States: Close to 27,000 Soviet Union: About 3,000 In 1961, the United States places medium range ballistic missiles in Turkey, capable of reaching Moscow, Sevastopol, Sofia, Kyiv, Petrograd, and other cities in the Warsaw Pact, potentially killing close to 50 million people in under about 20 minutes. There would be almost no time to react once these weapons would be detected entering Soviet airspace. Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the USSR, orders medium range missiles placed in Cuba under the protection of Fidel Castro. These missiles could potentially strike Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, Charleston, Atlanta, Miami, New Orleans, Memphis, Cincinnati, Dallas, and Houston. 2/8 A US spy plane snaps photographs of Cuban and Soviet engineers and laborers building missile silos. Flights over the North Atlantic note Soviet freighters carrying the disassembled missiles and warheads on route to Cuba. So, I nuked Lansing. Using Alex Wallerstein’s outstanding Nukemap.com software, I modeled a 2.42 megaton (the equivalent of 2,420,000 tons of dynamite and the warhead yield of the Soviet made medium range weapons) detonation above the Capitol in downtown Lansing. Here are the results: Promptly – through blast, shockwave, firestorm, and initial radiation output, about 157,350 people are dead. About that many are critically injured and will die within the next couple of weeks, as no medical care will be available. If you are standing outside South Kedzie, looking in the direction of the blast you will immediately be permanently blinded and at minimum suffer 3rd degree burns all over your body. Likely you and almost everything else that’s flammable catches fire. The Red Cedar might immediately flash boil. The shockwave will arrive in a few seconds. This will pulverize almost every building on campus and continue outward to about Williamston. A second shockwave, moving in the opposite direction, will arrive after about a minute. If by chance you were in a place designated as a fallout shelter, you might survive this…initially. If you ventured outside after the shockwaves have passed (DO NOT DO THIS), you will notice black, oily rain beginning to fall. That is the millions of tons of soot and debris kicked up into the atmosphere acting as the collectors for water vapor. This is highly radioactive. In the event of a counter-value nuclear exchange, almost every population center in North America, Europe, and Northern Asia will be attacked, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and parts of the Middle East. 3/8 The Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Kennedy desperately try to reach Khrushchev. Several options are put forward: 1. Invade Cuba immediately and secure first the missile sites, and then seize the country from Castro. This we would later learn would require the use of our own tactical nuclear weapons. This would almost certainly provoke a global war. 2. Attack the ships carrying the weapons. This would provoke a global war. 3. Prevent the missiles from reaching Cuba without technically destroying the ships and without invasion through what Kennedy calls a “Quarantine” of Cuba. General Curtis LeMay, Commander of the Strategic Air Command, demands Kennedy use our nuclear arsenal against both Cuba and the Soviet Union. Thankfully, cooler heads prevailed. 4/8 5/8 The United States establishes a cordon of ships around Cuba. After 13 tense days, negotiations between the Superpowers lead to a stand down from tension. The US quietly agrees to remove its missiles from Turkey, and the Soviets agree to not to place missiles in Cuba. 5/8 The After-effects (and what we didn’t know at the time): 1. The Red line is established between Moscow and Washington, always linking the heads of state for both powers. 2. Now seen as weak, Nikita Khrushchev is removed from office by the Politburo, and replaced with Leonid Brezhnev. But…what nobody in Washington knew: The Soviets had already placed nuclear-equipped artillery in Cuba and had given Fidel Castro authority to use these weapons if the United States invaded. Decades later at a state dinner, Castro told former US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara that he would have ordered the use of these weapons even if it meant the total atomic destruction of his country, and possibly much of the world. Choose a Layout …then click the placeholders to add your own pictures and captions. 6/8 6/8 During the quarantine, the American fleet knew that Soviet submarines were prowling beneath them. The US fleet used depth charges as a way of “telling” the submarine captains that they had been spotted – a sort of communication code. 7/8 At least one sub didn’t interpret it this way. Soviet sub “Project 641” sustained damage from these depth charges. The crew and captain had been awake for nearly 3 days at this point. The captain ordered the sub’s 15 kiloton nuclear torpedo to be armed and made ready to fire at the US ships surrounding it. It takes two people to relay this order – the captain and the political officer on board. The political officer, Vasily Arkhipo, countermanded the order and eventually the captain backed down. Asked about it later, McNamara said “Some guy named Vasily Arkhipov saved the world.” On the Picture Tools | Format tab, you can create your own frames and make picture corrections such as adjusting contrast and brightness or cropping the picture for just the right look. Currently – April 2024 – the stockpile of nuclear weapons globally equals about half a ton (1000 pounds) of dynamite for every human being on Earth. Imagine everyday that you have half a ton of dynamite strapped to you, and the number of people within the leadership loop necessary to activate that dynamite could easily fit within the room. Let’s hope the world always has people like Vasily Arkhipovs to rescue us. 8/8 33 34 Hydrogen bomb drills in U.S. classrooms, 1962 35 36 Psychological victory. After centuries of colonial domination by Spain and the U.S. His deft handling of the “Colossus of the North” Fidel Castro: Why supported by many Cubans (and the hero of many others internationally)? His supposed personal honesty Enactment of sweeping social reforms Ended “latifundio” [large tracts of land owned by few individuals] Limited foreign ownership Nationalized and expanded public services, especially in education and medicine Education for the masses, 100% literacy A new and better day for Afro-Cubans They like that Cuba is sort of an “international scene” 37 Why hated by so many? Said he was democratic (and appealed to middle class Cubans) but then became a communist and a dictator Said he hated domination by U.S. but then allowed Cuba to become a satellite country of another superpower, the U.S.S.R. Stayed in power too long, and then gave power to his brother (Raúl) Suppressed Catholicism on island (until late 1990s) Suppression of LGBTQ+ people (until 2000s) You must follow the “Party line,” or else! Ruthless suppression of freedom of expression and political dissidents Large number of incarcerated political prisoners Some (most?) people prefer individualism, rely on own initiative, etc. Roughly 250,000 Cubans, mostly of the upper and middle classes, fled to the United States during the first three years of the Revolution, another significant wave (125,000) in 1980 during the Mariel Boatlift, and subsequent “balseros” since 1989. 38 1977: US and Cuba establish diplomatic offices in each country but not full diplomatic relations Timeline cont’d 1990s: Political and economic relations between Cuba and its once-communist partners erode 2014-2015: Efforts by U.S. and Cuban governments to restore full diplomatic relations and permit travel to Cuba from U.S. Tense relations continue… 39 Raúl Castro b. 1931 Raúl Castro, president of Cuba, 2008/2011-2021 40 Miguel Díaz-Canel, President of Cuba since 2019/2021 b. 1960 41 1903-present—since Cuba became a “protectorate” of the U.S. Oldest U.S. overseas military base. Leased for about $4,000 year. As of October 2022, houses 35/735 “9-11” prisoners 42 Cuba, Compared w/ Honduras, Bolivia, Chile, and the U.S. Source: https://www.cia.gov/the-worldfactbook/Sources: (March 28, 2024) Cuba Honduras Bolivia Chile U.S. Infant mortality rate (per live 1,000 births) 4.1 15.4 22.3 6.4 5.1 Life expectancy at birth (rounded up) Physicians density (per 1,000) % Underweight Children (under age 5) 80 8.4 2.4 72 0.5 7 73 1.0 3.4 80 2.8 0.5 81 2.6 0.4 Maternal Mortality Rate (per 100,000) 39 72 161 15 21 43 Cuba, Compared w/ Honduras, Bolivia, Chile, and the U.S. (Freedom House, 2022) Global Freedom: Cuba 12 Honduras 48 Bolivia 66 Chile 94 US 83 “Freedom House rates people’s access to political rights and civil liberties in 210 countries and territories through its annual Freedom in the World report. Individual freedoms—ranging from the right to vote to freedom of expression and equality before the law—can be affected by state or nonstate actors.” Source: https://freedomhouse.org/countries/nations-transit/scores (retrieved 4/3/2024 44