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1) Heavy American political intervention since 1823 

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1) Heavy American political intervention since 1823 

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Describe the point

Frequent intervention to protect its interest in Cuba

Establish pro-US government that would support US interests

Colonel Fulgencio Batista(increasingly corrupt and dictorial).                             -He exploited Cuba’s commercial interests by establishing relationships with the American mafia, who controlled the illegal business in Havana, as well as with the large American corporations which invested heavily in cuba.                                              -He made use of his secret police to repress the Cuban people, as well as opponents of his regime, often through violent means.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Cuban nationalists increasingly resented American actions of installing a series of ‘puppet presidents’ to guard its own interest in cuba.

Led to resentment from the Cubans

The Cubans wanted to overthrow bastista’s regime which resulted in the Cuban revolutions(1956-1959)

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

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2) Castro’s victory in the Cuban Revolution in 1959 (EXAMPLE by Ms Faza)

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2) Castro’s victory in the Cuban Revolution in 1959 (EXAMPLE by Ms Faza)

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Describe the event:

Castro conducted guerilla warfare against Batista's government

Castro's popularity among the Cubans grew

1 Jan 1959: Batista fled to USA while Castro led his rebel army into Havana and established a new government.

Castro did not identify as a communist publicly, though he had support from the Cuban Communist Party.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Contributed to American-Cuban tensions. The USA
continued to suspect Castro of being a communist
even though he did not immediately identify himself
as one then

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

No significant impact as Castro did not identify himself as a communist, and had no dealings with the Soviet Union at that time

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3) Castro’s establishment of trade relations with the Soviet Union in 1959 and 1960

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3) Castro’s establishment of trade relations with the Soviet Union in 1959 and 1960

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Describe the point

Castro and Khrushchev (the leader of the Soviet Union) established a personal relationship at a UN convention in 1960

They both fought for the cause of African-Americans that were discriminated against in the US

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

This confirmed America's fears that Castro was a communist and would lead Cuba to become a communist threat

This pushed the USA into taking action against Cuba and Castro

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:
. The relationship formed between the two leaders gave a positive impression on each others countries

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4) Implementation of Castro’s Land Reform Law in May 1959 

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4) Implementation of Castro’s Land Reform Law in May 1959 

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Describe the point

Wealth was concentrated among the ruling class of the country.

By passing the law,Castro wanted to break up the largest vprivate estates in cuba and redistribute them among the poorer farmers,to solve problem of inequality.

Main points of castro’s land reform law                                                               -Large estates to hand over their property to the state in exchange for financial compensation spread over many years                                                  -All farms over 3333 acres(a unit of land measurement) and all private estates over 1000 acres to be redistributed or run as communes by a new state agency .                                                                      -foreigners no longer allowed to own sugar plantations

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Threatened US presence in Cuba

To the USA,it confirmed that Castro’s revolution was heading in a socialist direction with its heavy handed redistributive policies

The USA was worried that castro’s Cuba was ideologically opposed to its own capitalist economy

It was concerned that since many of the large properties that would be broken up belonged to Americans or pro American Cubans,American businesses and the USA’s economy would be affected.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

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5) Refusal of American companies in Cuba to process Soviet oil and reduction of the Cuban Sugar Quota in Apr and Jul 1960

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5) Refusal of American companies in Cuba to process Soviet oil and reduction of the Cuban Sugar Quota in Apr and Jul 1960

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Describe the point

April, 1960; The American government pressured its companies such as Shell, Standard Oil and Texaco, along with their allies, not to process Soviet Oil.

Once the 300,000 tonnes of Soviet oil arrived in Cuba, the oil refineries refused to process it.

July, 1960; The USA reduced the Cuban Sugar Quota from 3 million tonnes to only 700,000 tonnes.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

This gradually deteriorated American-Cuban Relations, as the actions made by the USA (had Cuba not retaliated seen in Point #6) could have affected the livelihoods of many Cubans (when America was their only market).

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

This provided the Soviet-Cuban Relations an opportunity to strengthen further, seeing with the aftermath of the Cuban Sugar Quota (seen in Point #6)

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6) Castro’s nationalisation of all oil refineries and American-owned properties in Jun, Aug and Sep 1960 

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6) Castro’s nationalisation of all oil refineries and American-owned properties in Jun, Aug and Sep 1960 

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Describe the point

Castro and the Soviets agreed to exchange Cuban sugar for Soviet oil as USA wanted to reduce the sugar quota.

This had thus caused America to threaten to bring down Castro’s government by crippling Cuban’s economy.

America had pressured its companies such as Shell and Texaco to not process soviet oil and hence Castro hadd decided to nationalise the oil refineries to Cuba.

Castro had also nationalised all American owned banks, railways, ports, hotels and cinemas and USA considered this as an act of war.

Castro eventually nationalised all major american properties in Cuba and this caused USA great alarm.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

USA had however planned to use its dominance over the Cuban economy to force Castro to change his policy

These series of events had caused American-Cuban relations to sour even more rapidly.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

The nationalisation of the oil refineries ands American-owned properties in June, August and September 1960 had allowed the Soviet Union to be more involved in Cuba which had thus allowed it to strengthen ties between the two countries

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7) Establishment of a personal friendship between Castro and Khrushchev from Sep 1960 

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7) Establishment of a personal friendship between Castro and Khrushchev from Sep 1960 

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Describe the point

Castro visited New York, in September 1960, to address the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

He made the decision to stay in a poor district of Harlem, instead of luxury hotels traditionally used by visiting world leaders, which had a large African-American population.

With Cuba’s intention to have friendly relations with the Soviet Union, intriguing Khrushchev to visit Castro at the Harlem hotel whilst he was attending the UN General Assembly session.

This meeting was almost planned, a double demonstration against the discriminatory policies of the USA towards African Americans (seen with the impoverished conditions in Harlem) and as well as towards Cuba.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

In the perspective of the Americans, they viewed this personal friendship to that of Castro associating himself openly with the USA’s Cold War enemy, the Soviet Union.

This deteriorated American-Cuban Relations significantly.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

In the perspective of the Russians, this personal friendship would mean that Cuba was (despite it appearing on their side) aligned with similar beliefs.

This strengthened Soviet-Cuban Relations significantly.

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8) American imposition of an embargo on American exports to Cuba in Nov 1960 

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8) American imposition of an embargo on American exports to Cuba in Nov 1960 

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Describe the point

USA intensified its economic campaign against Cuba in November 1960

Placed an embargo on American exports to Cuba on everything except for food and medicine

USA wanted to emphasise that its campaign was against the Cuban government rather than against the Cuban people thus food and medicine were excluded from the embargo

American embargo was ineffective as the communist Eastern European countries agreed to buy 4 million tones of sugar which was more than what the USA had been buying.

Castro was allowed to continue his programme of land reform and nationalism without any fear of American economic sanctions

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Relations between America and Cuba worsened

USA attempted to weaken Castro’s power through placing an embargo on Cuba however it was ineffective as the Soviet Union and its allies stepped in the fulfil Cuba’s economic needs

Tensions grew between USA and Cuba as Cuba was not in any way affected by the US implementations of embargo on US exports to Cuba.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

Relations between the Soviet Union and Cuba were strengthened as the Soviet Union were willing to step in to help Cuba economically

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Describe the point

As Cuba and the US engage in economic conflict, the Central Intelligence Agency developed a plan to overthrow Castro's government which would lead to the Bay of Pigs invasion.

President John F. Kennedy of the USA severed diplomatic ties with Cuba and decided to execute the invasion.

CIA-trained Cuban exiles from Castro's government would land at the Bay Of Pigs and attempt to gain the support of the locals and overthrow Castro.

Castro was too popular and well-prepared for the invasion to succeed and thus, the exiles were subdued within two days.

The invasion was a disaster and ended up here humiliating the US and strengthening Castro

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Made Cuba sure that the US were going to invade them.

Made the US more determined to overthrow Castro.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

. Pushed Cuba to search for allies, including the Soviet Union

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10) Operation Mongoose from Nov 1961 onwards 

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10) Operation Mongoose from Nov 1961 onwards 

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Describe the point

Operation Mongoose was used to attempt to remove Castro to continue ruling over Cuba

A secret programme carried out by the CIA agents to remove COMMUNISM in Cuba.

This programme was carried out due to the failure of the bay of pigs

They had done this through assasination attempts on key Cuban political leaders, including Castro

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

This had INCREASED American-Cuban tensions

America was embarrassed in themselves as they had failed multiple times in trying to assasinate off Castro from power.

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

Strengthen ties with Soviet Union

This gives them a opportunity to become part of the communist bloc eventually.

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11) Cuba’s formal alliance with the Soviet Union in Dec 1961 

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11) Cuba’s formal alliance with the Soviet Union in Dec 1961 

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Describe the point

After the bay of pigs invasion , Cuba became convinced that a large-scale invasion by the USA was inevitable

Cubans were convinced of a future large scale invasion by the US

Cuba thus desperately looked for allies to protect themselves

The Soviet Union was a good choice. As the rival’s superpower, it was the logical answer to Cuba’s security concerns and was then able to assist Cuba.

Kharushev supported Cuban’s open criticism of US. He sent a letter of support to Cuba during the bay of pigs invasion.

In 1961, Castro declared himself a ‘Marxist-Leninist’ and sought formal membership in the communist bloc of countries.

He established a new communist party in Cuba along soviet lines,uniting various political parties under the banner of the one-party state.

Impact on American-Cuban Relations:

Tensions grew between them as American fears were realised as the Soviet Union now had an ally so dangerously close to the USA.

America was threatened by the soviet-Cuban alliance as it threatened the US security

Impact on Soviet-Cuban Relations:

Soviet Union and cuba supported each other as they were now allies.