yr13_ia_2007_bsmith2_b

=Summary of Evidence (500-600 words)=

May 20th 1902 Cuba became an independent Republic. It was U.S. intervention that gave Cuba its weak, corrupt and dependant governments. Organized crime was overtaking the country which led to Cuba’s first dictator toward the late 1920’s. He was later exiled in 1933 which led to Fulgencio Batista stepping into power. After his term ended he left Cuba, but as the difference between the poor and the rich extended Batista returned.[1] On the 10th March 1952, General Fulgencio Batista took control of Cuba and cancelled all elections.[2] Batista was more interested and operated as the steward of sugar barons, banks, gambling, and other corporate interest of North America. He was unforgiving and answered any opposition with assassination. He used Cuba’s repression to maintain the massive exploitation of sugar workers, farmers and women. Cuba’s people were becoming poorer while rich U.S. people were enjoying themselves.[3] This brought shame to most Cubans, especially to one man, Fidel Castro. He had been on the list of candidates for the Ortodoxo Party for the congress.[4] He later wrote a letter to Batista telling him that nothing but corruption will come from the coup of March 10th and the reaction of many people would eventually overthrow him.[5] Castro, using his skills as a lawyer, took the matter to court. He quoted the articles of the code, proving that Batista was subject to more than 100 years in prison. Castro’s petition against Batista was rejected by the Court of Constitutional Guarantees. This angered Castro greatly and he then decided that there was only one to way to fix the issue; revolution. Castro became chief of a group organized for the rebellion.

By June 1953, he had 200 men ready and willing to fight. On June 26th 1953, Castro launched his attack. He was defeated and taken to prison. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison but was released in 1955 by Batista, who was eager to show the supremacy of his power. This, however did not distract Castro from his revolutionary path. His speech **History will Absolve Me**, seemed to have moved many people and details of the Moncada attack were released because newspapers were allowed to. Castro gathered a new group of rebels in Mexico. He was defeated again in 1956 by Batista’s army and fled to Sierra Maestra, where he began to use guerrilla tactics to fight Batista’s army.[6] Castro’s new group began their intensive training under a man called Colonel Alberto Bayo, who first met Castro at the end of 1955.[7] Castro decided to cut himself permanently from the veteran politicians so he could pursue his revolutionary plans without the evident help from the party he belonged to.[8] Castro had no intentions of keeping his plans a secret. He announced, on November 15th 1956, that he would soon overthrow Batista before the end of the year or die as martyr in the effort.[9] He landed in Cuba and immediately fell into trouble. Castro arrived in Sierra Maestra on Christmas eve and became a hero of the place. By January 15, 1957 Batista suspended all civil rights right through the country.[10] Batista started to become scared a put a bounty of $100,000 on Castro’s head. Castro was later denounced as a Communist by Batista on March 10th 1957.[11] Castro lead an attack on May 28th 1957 to attack an army post at Ubero.[12] This showed the public the strength of Castro’s guerrillas and lead to more volunteers.

On July 12, 1957 Castro signed a manifesto from the Sierra, which emphasized his reverence for civilian, constitutional government. Part of the manifesto stated: //“The hour has arrived in which the nation can save itself from tyranny, through the intelligence, the bravery and the civic actions of its sons, through the efforts of all those who have begun to feel deeply the destiny of this land where we have the right to live in peace and in freedom.”**[13]**//

This manifesto was made because rebels started liberating the mountains so they could live in villages. Castro needed strong active support from the people for this to happen. By 1959 Castro had military strength, support from the people, and the law. He had full confidence he could beat Batista. He began to make his troops march in the main towns and Batista decided to leave Cuba. On January 9th 1959, Castro became Cuba’s new leader.

[1] http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/cuban-rebels/NI-FidelsRevolution.pdf [2] http://library.thinkquest.org/20176/crevolution.htm [3] http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43b/084.html [4] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 26 [5] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 26 [6] http://library.thinkquest.org/20176/crevolution.htm [7] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 98 [8] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 114 [9] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 138 [10] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 148 [11] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 152 [12] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 162 [13] Fidel Castro: Rebel, Liberator, or Director? Jules Dubois; Bobbs-Merrill 1959, page 166