The Cuban Revolution
Cuba, under Castro's leadership became an important player in the global power of the Soviet Union and the severity of the cold.
On January 1, 1959, guerillas led by Fidel Castro ousted the American backed President Fulgencia Batista. At first the United States supported the new government, but that support was withdrawn when Castro nationalized U.S assets, seized U.S property, and declared Cuba a Marxist government. During the Revolution, Castro promised to restore the constitution, and hold free elections, but when he was sworn in as Prime Minister in February 1959, he declared himself "President for Life" and suspended all elections. In April 1959, Castro visited the United States, and met with Vice President Richard Nixon, where he denied having communist ties, and promised that no U.S assets would be touched, and that he would hold free elections. In May 1959, Castro proceeded to seize all U.S assets, and property under Agarian law, and made it illegal for anyone who did not reside in Cuba to own property. In response to his actions the U.S, the largest purchaser of Cuban sugar, issued a trade embargo. Castro turned the Soviet Union for help, and Khrushchev seeing the opportunity to assist a nation 90 miles off the U.S coast agreed. The relationship between Cuba and the Soviet Union, would eventually bring the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation, in what's known as the Cuban missile crisis. This video shows the steps and events that too place during the Cuban Revolution in the specific year of 1959. It also shows how Fidel Castro came into power.
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