The Cuban Revolution, 1959 (Edexcel GCSE History)

Why was Cuba Important to the USA in the 1960s? - Timeline & Summary

Historically, Cuba held a lot of importance to the USA. The USA helped Cuba to fight against and free themselves from Spanish rule in 1898. Throughout the 20th century, US businesses developed in Cuba. The country contains an abundance of valuable raw materials like tobacco, rice and coffee. Sugar became Cuba's main export. By 1925, Cuba produced five million tons of the world's 25 million tons of sugar. In 1920, US banks financed and provided the technology for Cuba's sugar industry. Due to this context, the USA had a beneficial relationship with Cuba by the 1950s. The USA believed that its investment in Cuba's economy justified American input in Cuba's politics.

Geographically, it was important for the USA to maintain a good relationship with Cuba. Cuba is only 90 miles away from Key West, Florida in the USA. An enemy of the USA could ally with Cuba to use its proximity to attack or invade the USA. 

US Involvement in Cuba Before 1959

• The USA was incredibly involved in Cuba's economy

  • The USA relied on Cuba's sugar and tobacco exports

  • US businesses controlled and profited from Cuba's sugar trade. US businesses also owned all of Cuba's oil refineries, railways and electricity

• As a result, the US attempted to control the political identity of Cuba

  • From the 1900s to the 1930s, the US military had suppressed three attempted revolutions in Cuba 

  • In 1933, the US government supported a military coup by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista. Batista became the president of Cuba

  • Batista was a very corrupt leader

    • Batista stopped elections and refused to follow the Cuban Constitution

    • He allowed US businesses and rich Cubans to thrive while ignoring the struggles of the poor in society

    • American mobsters began illegal businesses in Cuba, which Batista allowed. This increased American tourism to Cuba

  • The USA ignored Batista's corruption

    • US businesses were profiting from his rule. As a result, the US government provided Batista with weapons to maintain control of Cuba

Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and the Cuban Revolution

• In November 1956, revolutionary Fidel Castro began an uprising against Batista

  • He recruited Che Guevara to join his uprising

  • Castro began a guerrilla warfare campaign against the Cuban government

• In 1958, the international media supported the Cuban revolutionaries

  • At this stage, the US government stopped giving money and soldiers to Batista's government

• On 1st January 1959, Castro and Guevara's forces defeated Batista

  • The rebels reached Cuba's capital city, Havana

  • Batista fled from Cuba to the Dominican Republic

• Castro formed a new government in 1959

US Issues With the Cuban Revolution

A concept map showing the four key issues that the USA had with Castro's method of government

• The issues discussed above affected the USA's relationship with Cuba in the 1960s

  • Eisenhower reduced trade with Cuba

    • In July 1960, the USA bought less sugar from Cuba

    • By October, Eisenhower began a trade embargo with Cuba

  • By 1961, US-Cuban relations had broken down

    • The US government ended their diplomatic relationship with Cuba