The Rise of Fidel Castro

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The Rise of Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro is still a controversial figure worldwide who was loved and hated by so many and whose life involved massive propaganda. Castro’s unique nature largely hinders the discovery of the true man who had shaky relationship with the U.S and employed an iron fisted rule over Cuba. Prior to Fidel Castro’s rise conditions in Cuba were very terrible marred with poverty, high unemployment rates, sugar dependent economy, and high volume of corruption. According to Eldridge, during those days, the United States had a huge influence on Cuba due to the Teller and Platt Amendment initiated prior to Spanish American War of 1898 making U.S to control 75% of sugar and oil refineries (Web). Fulgencio Batista’s government which seized power illegally in 1952 was corrupt and unstable. This form of writing pieces together what might have driven Fidel Castro’s rise to power at the age of 30.

Fidel Castro introduced the first communist state in the western hemisphere after a successful overthrow of Fulgencio’s government in 1959 and ruled for almost five decades with great performance in plummeting illiteracy, engraving out racism and improving public health though condemned for depriving economic and political freedoms.

Fidel Castro who interestingly came to power with an intention of fighting oppression, injustice, corruption and poverty finally became the oppressor after realizing that only revolution could help Cubans. “Bio. True Story” explains that Fidel was born in 1926 in the eastern Cuba before studying law at the University of Havanna where he got into student politics (1-2). His intelligence, political savvy and being a good orator earned him a place as a student leader and later joined a political system that was opposed to Batista. His attempt to go for peaceful political change was unsuccessful and being an idealist,   he believed that the populace would gather behind him to overthrow the then leader, Batista. Castro initially attacked the Moncada military barracks with only 100 followers using inferior weapons (Eldridge Web).

Interestingly, Fidel Castro even prepared a revolutionary address which he expected to be broadcasted on the radio stations then give weapons to people and win Santiago. However, inadequate experience of the revolutionaries failed the mission. The failure was followed by brutal overreaction of the army killing innocent civilians and later led to Castro being put on trial and imprisoned for 15 years in Isle Pines (“Bio.True Story” 1-6). Although in prison, Castro still used his oratory prowess to make outstanding speech and ensured they were printed and circulated during his trial. Fortunately, the violent response to the attempted revolution by the army and the reaction by the Catholic Church to the army’s response made him respectable and a great hero.

In 1955, Batista declared a general amnesty for all political prisoners prompting the release of Fidel, his brother Raul who went to Mexico and formed the 26th of July Movement where he officially announced that they would invade and overthrow Batista (“Bio.True Story” 2-5). On December 1956, he landed with his team in eastern Cuba where they prepared for a night march while sleeping in a cane but they were betrayed by a guide. They were then ambushed and badly tortured and butchered but still Castro survived and he continued gathering and recruiting his army. They invaded small town army posts and the army expeditions in the mountains making soldiers to refuse marching at the head of the column. He divided his army into various columns headed by numerous commanders as more people were recruited in the revolution. They established base camps and resembled small cities with hospitals, schools and hydroelectric station and a rebel newspaper, El Cubano Libre was published as well as telephone lines conne.............