Castro vs. Batista: The Power Struggle

Of Agendas and Effectiveness

Now that the events of the Cuban Revolution have been summarized through the previous blog, it is time for me to examine the effectiveness of this particular government. Since the country under examination shall be Cuba during its revolution, there shall be two factions to judge: Batista’s government, and Castro’s rebels attempting the overthrow of Batista.

Moncada Barracks

The so-called “problems” in the state at the time had been a full-blown revolution, and much of the conflict was addressed with force.  Towards the end of the elections, Batista had chosen to seize power for himself, rather than letting another candidate such as Castro win the Presidential election. In terms of Batista’s actions, I would agree that he was successful in taking on power, but it is obvious that his agenda was simply to take power for himself. In other words, it was his lust for power that determined his actions. Castro on the other hand, not only overthrew Batista for taking power for himself, but rather because he felt that he was the right person with enough wisdom for fulfilling the role of the leader. Both of these men were equally adamant in their ideals, and it is due to this that they ended up in a conflict with each other.

Castro’s initial attempt to begin the revolution had failed miserably, yet it still yielded another opportunity for him to be known by the country. With Batista bringing him into the trial, he could almost be viewed as a hero or a martyr. Castro’s speaking and debating skills were also quite well-honed, since he his profession was that of a lawyer. However, the trial was obviously biased, and it was simply a method for Batista to instate a harsh punishment upon Castro. Castro was able to defend dozens of the rebels from the attack, and based his arguments on the illegality of Batista’s government, and he had defended his men so well that only 26 prisoners were found guilty.

Fidel Castro after the failed Moncada attack.

Castro indeed proved to be quite skilled in the dealings of court, but was still sentenced to 15 years in prison. However, he had spoken so well during the court dealings that Batista’s standing among the population had diminished greatly, while Castro was elevated to a somewhat heroic status.

The next few years were spent in guerilla warfare, as public pressure had forced Batista to free Castro. During this time, Castro and the rebels fought in hit-and-run battles where the tactics of the rebels proved to be quite effective against Batista’s military forces. It is clear during this time that Batista was slowly losing his hold on power, as his forces lost more battles than they could afford. Eventually, Batista himself was overthrown, as he had failed to destroy the rebels and wasted several opportunities.

Even though Castro may not have started the revolution as well as he had planned, his capture had still managed to gain him a reputation. Batista’s reputation was already slowly fading, and he had resorted to chasing the few hundred rebels with thousands of soldiers. However, the tactics of the rebels proved to be quite effective: Castro’s rebels used small skirmishes to their advantage, rather than engaging in direct combat.

During the time of the revolution, Castro did not even have control of a government, while Batista’s government was forcibly imposed. Nevertheless, Castro had succeeded in his agenda of overthrowing Batista, and his tactics had proven to be effective in the rebellion against the government.

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/fidel-castro-9241487

http://www.biography.com/people/fulgencio-batista-9202010

http://www.history.malc.eu/Operation-Verano-Cuba.event.html

Hit-and-Run Heroes:The Cuban Revolution

Viva la Revolucion

Fulgencio Batista

The Cuban Revolution was a result of Fulgencio Batista’s forcefully imposed government, and Castro’s rebel forces attempting to take away his power through military force and guerilla warfare.

The events of the revolution were put into motion during 1952, when Fulgencio Batista seized power during an election. Most of Cuba was disgusted at his power grab, and one man: Fidel Castro, decided to take action. Castro had originally been a popular politician, and had the elections come to take place, it is likely that he would have won.

 The most important events that shaped the results of the Cuban revolution were a chaotic series of guerilla warfare skirmishes and propaganda battles. During this period, many of the middle and upper class Cubans fled to the United States, while the poor in remote villages fully supported Castro’s fight against Batista’s power seizure. The events occurring in Cuba were also significant to the United States, considering the fact that the island was both a trading partner for sugar, and a popular tourist spot at the time.

Fidel Castro made his first move against Batista by attacking the Moncada Barracks, on the 26^th of July, 1953. The attack was a grave failure and Fidel Castro was captured and held on trial for his actions. However, Castro was a trained lawyer, and due to this was able to turn the court to his favor by making the trial about Batista’s power seizure. It is during these trials that Castro made his “History will absolve me” speech. Although Castro was sentenced to fifteen years in prison, he had managed to gain status as a national hero, and a well-recognized figure.

"History will absolve me."

Three years later, Batista, gave in to international pressure and released Castro along with many other remaining survivors from the Moncada attack. Castro travelled to Mexico with his brother, Raul in order to regroup and plan for their next move. Several new recruits joined Castro’s movement, and among them were Camilo Cienfuegos and Ernesto “Che” Guevara.

Castro and dozens of his supporters finally set sail for Cuba on 25 November 1956, crowded in the tiny yacht called the Granma. Their return was met with an ambush from Batista’s forces, and only a handful of survivors (including Fidel, Raul, Cienfuegos and Guevara) managed to escape, making their way into the wooded highlands. In these areas, the rebels regrouped once again, recruiting more members for their cause, and guerilla warfare was begun in the mountains of the Sierra Maestra. Other rebel groups somewhat allied with Castro also assisted in the general fight against Batista, and it was becoming clear that the rebel movement was now gaining strength. The hit-and-run tactics were devastating to Batista’s forces, and he was forced to make a move back against the rebels.

In the summer of 1958, Batista responded to the growing rebel threat by sending a large fraction of his army into the highlands, hoping to cause a battle and force Castro out of hiding once and for all. Against the odds, the vastly outnumbered rebels managed to repel the invaders, inflicting heavy casualties on Batista’s army and eventually driving them back.

By late 1958, Castro was actively moving into the plains, rather than staying hidden in the mountains. Castro divided his forces into two small armies, each led by Cienfuegos and Guevara, while Castro followed with his remaining rebels. The guerilla columns captured towns and attacked military targets, and were greeted by the locals as heroic liberators. One of the greater victories was won by Guevara in the Battle of Santa Clara. During this battle, 300 weary rebels overcame Batista’s most crucial line of defense outside Havana. The outcome of this battle revealed that Batista’s days as the president were slowly coming to a close.

With Castro's victory inevitable, Batista and his inner circle fled. Cienfuegos and Guevara had reached Havana on January 2, taking to disarming the remnants of Batista's military installations. Castro, on the other hand, took his time to pause in every town or village, giving speeches and to his adoring crowd, before finally reaching Havana on January 9.

This, of course, was just the beginning. Castro would soon reveal himself to be a Communist, beginning a new chapter in Cuba's tumultuous history. However, for the time immediately after his triumph, Castro would bring rise to new potential revolutionaries, triggering a rush of idealistic revolutionaries, seeking to change their country for the better (or for their own benefit). 

Sources:

http://library.thinkquest.org/18355/the_cuban_revolution_-_1959.html

http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/historyofthecaribbean/p/08cubanrevo.htm

http://www.rcgfrfi.easynet.co.uk/ratb/cuba/cuba_rev.htm

Our Paper Infographic: The Process

Most people would believe that having something done is more important than the means taken to do so, I would take the middle path and simply say that both are equally important. This infographic took a course of about 2 or 3 weeks to complete, and I will gladly say that the product of our work was good, even if there may have been some misconceptions about the style of this project in the beginning.

One of the most important aspects of this infographic is probably the graph showing Paper consuption, which is really the only true source that shows quantifiable data over a length of time. The graph proves that the usage of paper is going up at a constant rate, even though most people would believe that the heightening rates of digital reading may cause paper to be phased out technologically. In actuality, I believe that paper is an equally important material for storing data as through computers and digital information. For instance, newspapers and magazines are still selling well, and there is a psychological effect of having the material physically in your grasp than looking at it though and LCD screen. This may seem irrelevant, but one must realize that several people in the world still prefer reading newspapers to having to click through articles on an online news source (which is subject to internet connection problems and videos that may take a long time to load). I myself prefer reading books that are physically there, and I have a huge library of novels that I have finished as opposed to the one fanfic that I read through Google Docs online last October. The Internet is of an interactive nature, and I personally do not prefer it for for when I might have to do long periods of reading (such as novels, e-books, etc.).

This is possibly why paper is still increasing in consumption, along with the continuously growing amount of students and workers needing paper.

Another thing I would like to address is the idea that the consumption of paper causes deforestation, which in turn will lead to higher rates of Global Warming. While this may hold true, the idea that digital information is a better alternative could potentially be completely misplaced. Most people might not realize that electricity too, can potentially cause Global Warming, as fossil fuels are used in large amounts in order for electricity to be created. If more people were to use computers and laptops for all of their information, then the demand for electricity would most certainly increase. I felt the need to address this issue because this is an aspect that most people might overlook when arguing for phasing paper out of the information storage business.

So by now, one can probably observe that I am all for paper remaining a strong area for information storage. It is simply too culturally symbolic that it would be a shame if the human race as a whole lost their ability to use pen, or the paintbrush. Paper holds a vast amount of historical significance, and I believe that it should continuously be used in the future. Many may say that paper is easily wasted, but it is entirely the choice of the writer, or the artist to put good use to this simple material. Paper is potentially the message to ancestors, and humans should definitely not take it for granted.

The process of creating the infographic was mainly divided between our team, and me and another member did most of the research. I myself did a fair amount of research regarding the historical development of paper and the statistics regarding paper consumption, while one member mainly dealt with the aesthetic qualities of the infographic. To be totally honest, at first I was completely worried about the quality of the glog as it appeared to have more 'text walls' so to speak, than short sentences and bolded numbers that stand out. Now I can safely say that I am happy with how quickly our designing member was able (not to mention willing) to revamp the entire infographic when met with constructive criticisim.

I have already mentioned a fair bit of my opinions regarding the technological aspects of the infographic, including how I would prefer paper for long periods of reading rather than through the internet. I think that the infographic does not nearly have enough pictures for it's style, and I would have liked for there to be more pictures and more sources of aesthetic creativity.

Possibly the single most reason that infographics are so popular in this age is that everybody is always in a rush, and the average attention span of a human being is rapidly decreasing. Things such as infographics help keep a mind focused on the image and the information being presented, without the mind just flitting away to another item of interest. While this may seem particularly a negative thing to say, I sometimes even notice this about myself, and such a form of presenting information is the easiest way to keep the audience focused.

Sources:

http://www.linkedin.com/answers/professional-development/communication-public-speaking/PRO_COM/296139-1182776

http://barbara-pytel.suite101.com/attention-spans-decreasing-with-too-much-technology-a258607

http://www.lenntech.com/greenhouse-effect/fossil-fuels.htm

http://michanneleahc.hubpages.com/hub/Importance-of-Paper-in-History

Note: I apologize if this blog post is very late, but I had just returned to my true home almost half a year after leaving due to the flood. The internet has not fully been restored in my house and I did my very best to crunch in my work for this blog post during break times at school. This blog was posted from an internet cafe.

The Bearded Savages

Throughout history, the Vikings have been portrayed as great explorers that travel the seas, pillaging villages every now and then. Over several hundreds of years, the perception of Vikings has gradually transformed. Currently, Vikings are continuously portrayed as savage brutes in a very clichéd manner. However, there is more to them than the typical mental picture of a large, heavily built, bearded brute wearing a wooden helmet with attached horns. The Vikings were the traders and colonists that left an everlasting influence on modern day Britain.



The first recorded Viking raids occurred around the 7th century. Raids by Scandinavian pirates on sites located all over Britain. Approximately 800CE to 1066CE (the Norman Conquest) is commonly known as the Viking Age of Scandinavian History. Small-scale raids continued to occur and by the late ninth century, there were settlements that dotted various parts of Britain. The Vikings had managed to gain control over some areas of Britain.



However, one of the most significant that the Scandinavian had caused, were the emergence of two newly united and powerful kingdoms: England and Scotland. This occurred as an indirect result of Scandinavian involvement with the of Britain.

Much of the information about the Viking raids was simply burnt or destroyed by the Vikings themselves, many monasteries destroyed and the records along with them. Not much is known about the raids in Scotland, due to the scarcity of written material.

The Norwegian were caused possibly the greatest political upset to areas around the north. Around the 860s, the Viking Army began grow larger, armies clearly meant for conquest of surrounding land. During the mid 860s, they captured areas such as York while also forcing East Angles to supply them with more troops.

The two main leaders of the Viking army were Ragnar Hairy-Breeks and his son Ivarr the Boneless. These two mean were responsible for killing the King of Northrumbia in 867 and the King of East Angles in 869. At this point, the Vikings had conquered nearly all of England.

From about the year 900 onwards, many English Kings were able to resist the Vikings and actively fight against them. The last Viking king, Eric Bloodaxe, was forced out in the year 954.

After the year 955, the island of Britain experienced an era of peace, as King Edgar united the kingdom and re-organized the church, while strengthening monasticism. The beginning of the “second Viking age” began in the year 991. These raids were on a much larger scale compared to previous ones and were even organized by members of royalty. Most of these raids had the main objective of extortion. These raids caused the wealth in the kingdom to be spread out equally, and tax that was given to prevent raids caused England to develop a tax system that was far more sophisticated than anywhere else in Europe.

Over time the Viking raiders, having travelled all throughout Europe had given influences to many parts of Europe. Many areas in Europe can have their ancestry and influences traced back to the Vikings. There are several burial sites associated with Vikings all throughout Europe, proof of their spread and constant raiding. While short term effects of their raids might have been total destruction of towns and causing fear and a general contempt against the Vikings, in the long term, wealth was able to spread equally through Europe, enabling Britain to develop as a whole rather than have one kingdom that was superior to the others.
Most of the Viking raids were solely to gain wealth and power, in addition to trade, and spreading their religion.

Although many of the Vikings may have been assimilated into medieval during the 11th century, their influence can still be found around the world even today. Though most people may view Vikings in a more clichéd way due to media, it is important to note that Vikings have been instrumental in the development of Europe.

Of Water, Of Chaos

Flood.

Compared to other threats around the world, such as earthquakes, tornadoes, and erupting volcanoes, a simple excess of water may not seem as terrifying as that of raging winds, splitting earth, or molten lava. Yet such a threat has now proven itself to be very real in Thailand.

One aspect of the flood in Thailand is simply that it is simply not immediate enough for many to notice it. Such floods have been occurring in Northern Thailand since May. Rainfall itself was three times over the ordinary during March. Flooding began to occur in northern provinces because of flooding and several dams were forced to discharge excess water in order to keep the area from flooding.

By the beginning of October, most dams in the north were either close to their full capacity or over it. Forced to discharge excess water, this worsened flooding downstream.

Personally, when I heard the rumors of flood during the beginning of October, I never actually expected the flood to affect me personally. It was more of an abstract idea in my mind than an actual reality. However, a month later and I see myself having moved away from home, the entire campus that I have lived in since I as born has been completely flooded.

Many people simply never expect themselves to be the ones facing natural disasters, until the point where it actually affects them. Now however, the signs are showing in Bangkok, as more and more sandbags are beginning to show in various places around the city. Different roads have been blocked and rendered inaccessible, forcing traffic in other parts of the city and causing a disruptance in the general flow of cars and other vehicles. Many families will be forced to evacuate from their homes and others could potentially find themselves inundated by the flood before having a chance to move away.

While disrupting major supply lines and disabling several industrial estates, the flood has also managed to fill a country with the feeling of panic, confusion and chaos. While there will obviously be the environmental effect, with all of the displaced mud and other materials all around the country, there will also be the sense of uncertainty, as governments, organizations and institutions will have to decide whether or not to continue work, or to stay safe and reduce the risk for people working.

Right now the flood continuing, draining away south as time passes, eventually northern regions will have to recover and begin pumping out, while Bangkok will continue to receive more water from the north. In the months that will come, people not yet affected cannot simply view the flood as something that will never happen to them. If action can be taken, then it should be taken. A lot of controversy is currently going on because of the manipulation of flood water through the city. Protests and other occurring conflicts will only serve to make the situation worse, and I may not know how it feels to have flood waters intentionally redirected to my residence, but I have already experienced how it feels to lose my home.

The greatest impact on humans by the flood, has undoubtedly been a psychological one. The feeling of losing a home and not having any control over whether or not you will be able to get it back is a strong one, and right now, time will only tell what will happen after the flood has gone, and then there will be the issue of attempting to recover as quickly and cheaply as possible.


Sources:

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/new/national/Major-dams-over-capacity-30166650.html

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/252818/death-toll-in-ravaged-provinces-climbs-to-37

http://asiancorrespondent.com/67306/thailand-why-was-so-much-water-kept-in-the-dams-part-ii/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-15610536

The 12th Most Populous Country...

is only the 73rd Largest

Such conditions can pose problems to a developing country. This country is the Philippines, a 7,107 island archipelago.


The Philippines is currently undergoing second phase in terms of demographic transitions. This phase can easily be identified in countries that are just beginning to develop. While the Philippines may not be the most developed country in South-East Asia, new advancements in technology are being brought to this country though currently it still suffers from overpopulation.

The Philippines was originally discovered by Ferdinand Magellan, who then claimed the country for Spain. Being an archipelago, it not have as much influence from surrounding neighbors like China as much as a country like Thailand would have. In that sense, the country was not very developed. The country was later named after King Phillip the 2nd.

Spanish control helped keep the Philippines as an entire country. After a many centuries, the Americans gained control of the Philippines, as the country was an important strategical location in World War 2. American influence helped open many public schools in the Philippines, eventually causing the country to become one of the most educated developing countries in the world.

Between 1960 and 1995, the Philippines had one of the highest rates of urban growth in the developing world. At the moment, about 60 percent of the population is urban. However, overall urban growth rates are beginning to slow though development does continue in other parts of the country. The Extended Metro Manila has a population of about 12 million people and is about a third of the total urban population. Urban-based business is one of the main forces contributing to national economic growth, although cities in other neighboring countries are proving to be competition due to them being better organized and having better living conditions.

Such a high economic growth rate does cause imbalances in terms of individual people and their incomes. About 30 percent of the country lives under the national poverty line. Many families in the Philippines are supported heavily by relatives ‘abroad’, or working outside the country.
Like other developing countries, the Philippines will need to be able to pass through the second phase as quickly as possible, in order to reduce backlash from such high population and possible consumption rates.




Sources:

http://www.worldbank.org.ph/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/PHILIPPINESEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20771349~menuPK:333013~pagePK:1497618~piPK:217854~theSitePK:332982,00.html
http://www.worldbank.org.ph/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/PHILIPPINESEXTN/0,,menuPK:333013~pagePK:141132~piPK:148560~theSitePK:332982,00.html
http://www.worldbank.org.ph/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/PHILIPPINESEXTN/0,,contentMDK:21016342~menuPK:333013~pagePK:1497618~piPK:217854~theSitePK:332982,00.html
http://www.worldbank.org.ph/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/EASTASIAPACIFICEXT/PHILIPPINESEXTN/0,,menuPK:333013~pagePK:141132~piPK:148560~theSitePK:332982,00.html
Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia M. Zaide (2004). Philippine History and Government (6th ed.). All-Nations Publishing Company.
Scott, William Henry. (1994). Barangay: Sixteenth-century Philippine Culture and Society. Ateneo de Manila University Press. p. 6. ISBN 9715501354. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
Spate, Oskar H. K. (1979). "Chapter 4. Magellan's Successors: Loaysa to Urdaneta. Two failures: Grijalva and Villalobos". The Spanish Lake – The Pacific since Magellan, Volume I. Taylor & Francis. p. 97. ISBN 070990049X. Retrieved 2010-01-07.

When 7 Billion People, Occupy the Planet...

From National Geographic's "7 Billion" article. The January 2011 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

NUMBER 10

Countries can slow population growth by passing laws, such as China passing it's one child policy.

NUMBER 9

Birth control can reduce the number of children born, reducing the growth of population.

NUMBER 8

Imbalances in age groups within a country can economically affect that country.

NUMBER 7

Land that is used for farmland and producing food will run out. This land needs to be used efficiently.

NUMBER 6

Women that are educated will have less children.

NUMBER 5

The ideal number of children for a couple to have is two, both to replace them when they die.

NUMBER 4

There are phases that can be observed in the way population grows, and a country develops.

NUMBER 3

Wealthy countries use the most resources, but countries that are developing will rapidly begin to catch up, in terms of consumption.

NUMBER 2

The Human race will continue to have more and more offspring at an exponential rate.

NUMBER 1

Because of overpopulation, many people will not have enough resources to survive comfortably. Population will outgrow food production.