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Fidel Castro: Difference between revisions
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The Communists had previously tried to establish a base in the Americas. They found they could gain, but not keep, power. But the Communists used the pre-Castro era in Latin America as a laboratory. They developed six principles for staying in power before Castro took control of Cuba. The six principles included: revolutionizing the masses, dependence on the Soviet Union, reliance on the United Nations instead of on the Organization of American States, establishment of a one-party Communist state, neutralization of the Church, and the replacement of the former army with a Red Army. From their previous experience they learned that only by having these six ingredients could they take and keep power in the Caribbean. | The Communists had previously tried to establish a base in the Americas. They found they could gain, but not keep, power. But the Communists used the pre-Castro era in Latin America as a laboratory. They developed six principles for staying in power before Castro took control of Cuba. The six principles included: revolutionizing the masses, dependence on the Soviet Union, reliance on the United Nations instead of on the Organization of American States, establishment of a one-party Communist state, neutralization of the Church, and the replacement of the former army with a Red Army. From their previous experience they learned that only by having these six ingredients could they take and keep power in the Caribbean. | ||
Fidel Castro was the first to successfully apply these lessons. He also added a wrinkle of his own: he initially denied he was a Communist. In the late fifties, Castro persuaded the State Department, the American media and most of the Cuban democratic leaders that he would establish a democracy in Cuba. | Fidel Castro was the first to successfully apply these lessons. He also added a wrinkle of his own: he initially denied he was a Communist. In the late fifties, Castro persuaded the State Department, the American media and most of the Cuban democratic leaders that he would establish a [[democracy]] in Cuba. | ||
It was a ruse, however. In a 1986 interview with ''Le Figaro'' magazine, Castro made no effort to hide the fact that he intended to make Cuba a Communist state from the start, but concealed his goal for strategic purposes. Just weeks after taking power in January of 1959 Castro started building his dictatorship and exporting revolution to Panama, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. | It was a ruse, however. In a 1986 interview with ''Le Figaro'' magazine, Castro made no effort to hide the fact that he intended to make Cuba a Communist state from the start, but concealed his goal for strategic purposes. Just weeks after taking power in January of 1959 Castro started building his dictatorship and exporting revolution to Panama, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Colombia. | ||