Cuban Revolution

The Cuban Revolution was the overthrow of the Fulgencio Batista?s government by the 26th of July Movement and the establishment of a new Cuban government led by Fidel Castro in the 1950s. It began with the assault on the Moncada Barracks on July 26, 1953, and ended on January 1, 1959, when Batista was driven from the country and the cities Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba were seized by rebels, led by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, respectively. The term "Cuban Revolution" is also used to refer to the social revolution from 1959 to present and the adoption of Marxist principles by the new Cuban Government.

Triumph of the Revolution

In 1958, the troops began their offensive. They advanced in two groups, so called columnas (column). There were four fronts in "Oriente" province (now divided in Santiago de Cuba, Granma, Guantanamo and Holguín) directed by Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro and Juan Almeida. The two columns (these were actually two "mobile" fronts) were under the command of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos and proceeded towards the West and the capital Havana. Cienfuegos won a great and decisive battle in "Yaguajay", earning him the nickname "The Hero of Yaguajay". The truly decisive battle of Santa Clara was fought and won by Che Guevara and his unit, this battle is famous for having stopped a train with soldiers and logistic supplies that were destined for Oriente Province troops. When Guevara and Cienfuegos entered Havana one took over the "Columbia" Military Base (today it is called "Ciudad Libertad (Liberty City) and is an educational city) and "La Cabaña" (today called "morro"). On January 1, 1959, Batista fled to the Dominican Republic. A day later, the rebels marched in the streets of Havana and Santiago. On January 8, Fidel Castro reached Havana.

Related Topics:
1958 - Juan Almeida - Che Guevara - Camilo Cienfuegos - Havana - Santa Clara - January 1 - 1959 - Dominican Republic - January 8

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Hundreds of suspected Batista era agents, policemen and soldiers were put on trial for human rights abuses and war crimes, including murder and torture. Most of those convicted of murder were executed by firing squad, and the rest received long prison sentences. One of the most notorious examples of ?revolutionary justice? being the executions of over 70 captured Batista regime soldiers, directed by Raúl Castro after capturing Santiago. Guevara was appointed supreme prosecutor in La Cabaña Fortress. This was part of a large-scale attempt by Fidel Castro to cleanse the security forces of Batista loyalists that could launch a counter-revolution. Many others were dismissed from the army and police, and some high-ranking officials in the ancien régime were exiled as military attachés.

Related Topics:
Santiago - La Cabaña Fortress - Ancien régime

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Shortly after taking power, the new Cuban government also confiscated all property held by religious organizations without compensation including the Roman Catholic Church. Hundreds of members of the clergy, including a bishop, were permanently expelled from the nation, with the new Cuban government being officially atheist.

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One of the first policies by the newly formed Cuban government was eliminating illiteracy, implementing land reforms, and raising living standards. 75% of Cuba's farmable land was owned by foreign individuals or foreign (mostly U.S.) companies. Shortly after taking power the new Cuban government also created Committees for the Defence of the Revolution or CDR?s in late September of 1960. The CDR?s were tasked with the responsibility of keeping "vigilance against counter-revolutionary activity." Local CDR?s were also tasked with keeping a detailed record of each neighborhood?s inhabitant?s spending habits, level of contact with foreigners, their work and education history, any "suspicious" behavior.

Related Topics:
Committees for the Defence of the Revolution - September - 1960

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Castro also nationalized all United States and other foreign-owned property in the nation on August 6, 1960. Large companies owned by upper class Cubans were also nationalized, including the plantations owned by Fidel Castro's family. The United States, in turn, responded by placing a blockade on Cuba, which is still in place after more than 40 years.

Related Topics:
August 6 - 1960 - United States - Blockade on Cuba

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Many attempts have been made by the U.S. to overthrow Castro's government. One of the most notorious is the failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion. During the Cold War, the U.S. saw Cuba as a strategic location and wanted to invade. But after the Cuban Missile Crisis, it promised verbally to never invade the island.

Related Topics:
Bay of Pigs Invasion - Cold War - Cuban Missile Crisis

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In July 1961, the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations (ORI) was formed by the merger of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Revolutionary Movement, the People's Socialist Party (the old Communist Party) led by Blas Roca and the Revolutionary Directory March 13th led by Faure Chomón. On March 26, 1962 the ORI became the United Party of the Cuban Socialist Revolution (PURSC) which, in turn, became the Communist Party of Cuba on October 3, 1965 with Castro as First Secretary.

Related Topics:
26th of July Revolutionary Movement - Blas Roca - Faure Chomón - March 26 - 1962 - Communist Party of Cuba - October 3 - 1965 - First Secretary

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