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