Fidel Castro

Backround 

  Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born the son of a Spanish Immigrant on August 13Th, 1926 in Holguin, Cuba. He was the third of six children.^[1]. Castro was educated under wealthy circumstances despite Cuba's poverty^[2]. He Attended the Havana Collage and graduated in 1950 with a law degree. In 1952 he ran for election to the Cuban house of representatives^[3]. But troops led by Batista halted elections and ended democracy in Cuba^[4]. Castro tried starting a revolution against Batista but when his forces attacked Moncada army barracks he was put 15 years in jail. Castro then formed the 26th of July movement named after his the date of his revolt and quickly gained support with people joining his rebellion. Batista eventually fled and Castro gained government control.

 

"I began revolution with 82 men. If I had to do it again, I do it with 10 or 15 and absolute faith. It does not matter how small you are if you have faith and plan of action" - Fidel Castro^[5]

 

The quote above shows how much courage Fidel Castro really had. By this quote you are able to tell that even if Castro only had 1/8th of the supporters he did, he still would have gotten where he did because of the determination, organization, and faith he showed. 

^[6]

The video ablove is one of Castro's many speeches. Here Castro is addressing

World Solidarity with Coba Conference in Havana, November 1994. This was

originaly a 2 hour speech edited to 1 hour giving us a look into what Castro

had to say and what kind of leader he was.                             

 

Significance

 

      The People of Cuba were ready for a new leader. After years of dictatorship Cubans longed for democracy which Fidel had promised. Castro traveled through Cuba capturing village after village. Many new fighters had joined him the the process. And in the yearly hours of the morning on New Years day, Batista fled the island leaving control for Castro and his men.  Now Castro's 5 day victory journey was coming to an end. He entered the city as a new leader and preceded to make his speech ^[7]."At one point during his speech, Castro turned to one of his men and asked "am I doing alright Camilo?" -"voy bien Comilo?" Comilo smiled and repiled "vas bien, Fidel" - "you are doing alright, Fidel." The crowed picked up the spirit and yelled "vas bien, Fidel" which became a revolutionary slogan. By the end of his speech, two white doves were released from the crowed in which one landed on Fidel. In Cuban myths the dove represented peace, and to Cubans this was a sign from god that Castro was the Chosen one. Castro became the symbol of peace and protection to the people of Cuba".^[8] When president John F. Kennedy took power over the United States, he attempted invasion in Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. The invasion failed and Castros's power consolidated.  "Throughout his first period as the leader of Cuba, Castro developed a new theory; The New Mans Theory which was basically that Cubans should no longer work for personal benefits, but for the good outcome for everybody in the society. The literacy rate was increased remarkably, and almost all Cubans could have free quality health care^[9]. Economic centralization increased, private schools fell under government control, educational facilities increased, and religious institutions suppressed. Castro was also putting out neighborhood watch groups and controlling the media, even banning such books as The Diary of Anne Frank. In 1961, Cuba was declared a socialist nation".  "Tens of thousands from the higher class capitalists and Jews left for the United states"^[10]. Castro seized property owned by Americans, foreigners, and Cubans. The Castro Government took over all United States oil refineries so the United States stopped buying Cuban sugar. Castro's response was by taking over all Untied States businesses in Cuba.  During this time Castro was depending greatly on the Soviet Union up until the collapse. "Castro made promises that Cuba would stay communist. However Cuba undertook limited reforms that loosened state control over parts of the economy." While recovering from surgery, Fidel gave temporary power to his close brother Raul and announced in February 208 that he would not accept reelection giving Raul full power.^[11]