Fidel Castro: Difference between revisions

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European Union|last_quotes = The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without truce to obtain them. Towards victory, always!}}
European Union|last_quotes = The time will come for all of us, but the ideas of the Cuban communists will remain as proof on this planet that if they are worked at with fervor and dignity, they can produce the material and cultural goods that human beings need, and we need to fight without truce to obtain them. Towards victory, always!}}
{{Quote|Revolutions are not exported, they are made by the people.|Fidel Castro, ''The Second Declaration of Havana'', 1962.}}'''Fidel Castro''' (August 13<sup>th</sup>, 1926 - November 25<sup>th</sup>, 2016) was the leftist leader of Communist Cuba for nearly five decades, first as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976, then as President from 1976 to 2008. His 49-year tenure as the head of state of Cuba makes him the longest-ruling non-royal head of state of the 20th and 21st centuries.
{{Quote|Revolutions are not exported, they are made by the people.|Fidel Castro, ''The Second Declaration of Havana'', 1962.}}
'''Fidel Castro''' (August 13<sup>th</sup>, 1926 - November 25<sup>th</sup>, 2016) was the leftist leader of [[Communist]] Cuba for nearly five decades, first as Prime Minister from 1959 to 1976, then as President from 1976 to 2008. His 49-year tenure as the head of state of Cuba makes him the longest-ruling non-royal head of state of the 20th and 21st centuries.


One of the most controversial political leaders of his era, Castro both inspired and dismayed people across the world during his lifetime. ''The Observer'' stated that he proved to be "as divisive in death as he was in life", and that the only thing that his "enemies and admirers" agreed upon was that he was "a towering figure" in world affairs who "transformed a small Caribbean island into a major force in world affairs". ''The Daily Telegraph'' noted that across the world he was "either praised as a brave champion of the people, or derided as a power-mad dictator."
One of the most controversial political leaders of his era, Castro both inspired and dismayed people across the world during his lifetime. ''The Observer'' stated that he proved to be "as divisive in death as he was in life", and that the only thing that his "enemies and admirers" agreed upon was that he was "a towering figure" in world affairs who "transformed a small Caribbean island into a major force in world affairs". ''The Daily Telegraph'' noted that across the world he was "either praised as a brave champion of the people, or derided as a power-mad dictator."
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The revolution finally succeeded in late 1958, and on January 1, 1959, Batista left the country. Castro had chosen exiled leaders Manuel Urrutia Lleó and José Miró Cardona, both anti-Communist liberals with good relations with the U.S., to head the new government. Castro himself became head of the new armed forces. However, the increasing presence of Communists in the decision making process created an early split in the government. Castro and Urrutia both insisted publicly that they had relations with each other, but Urrutia and Miró resigned only months later, and Castro, with support from mass organizations, assumed the position of prime minister. Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, a former Commodore of the Cienfuegos Yacht Club became president and head of state.
The revolution finally succeeded in late 1958, and on January 1, 1959, Batista left the country. Castro had chosen exiled leaders Manuel Urrutia Lleó and José Miró Cardona, both anti-Communist liberals with good relations with the U.S., to head the new government. Castro himself became head of the new armed forces. However, the increasing presence of Communists in the decision making process created an early split in the government. Castro and Urrutia both insisted publicly that they had relations with each other, but Urrutia and Miró resigned only months later, and Castro, with support from mass organizations, assumed the position of prime minister. Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, a former Commodore of the Cienfuegos Yacht Club became president and head of state.


The process of obtaining permanent power was dramatic, traumatic and bloody. From 1959 on, mass killings of dissidents were carried out as a matter of course by the infamous "''firing squads.''" Immediately after the Communist take-over, some 2,500 army officers were rounded up and shot dead.<sup>[20]</sup> Che Guevara reportedly stayed up late into the night signing death warrants for defenseless "reactionaries." Tens of thousands were sent to [[Concentration Camp|concentration camp]]s.<sup>[21]</sup> Desperate crowds of weeping daughters and shrieking mothers were clubbed with rifle butts as they pleaded for their family members to be spared. One of Castro's exiled opponents describes it this way:
The process of obtaining permanent power was dramatic, traumatic and bloody. From 1959 on, mass killings of dissidents were carried out as a matter of course by the infamous "''firing squads.''" Immediately after the Communist take-over, some 2,500 army officers were rounded up and shot dead.<sup>[20]</sup> Che Guevara reportedly stayed up late into the night signing death warrants for defenseless "reactionaries." Tens of thousands were sent to [[Concentration Camp|concentration camps]].<sup>[21]</sup> Desperate crowds of weeping daughters and shrieking mothers were clubbed with rifle butts as they pleaded for their family members to be spared. One of Castro's exiled opponents describes it this way:


''"The Castro regime came to power by deception and terror, resulting in what can only be described as a state of war against the Cuban people. Executions, labor camps, forced re-locations and exile, and the imposition of a repressive military police force to exercise control over civilian society."''<sup>[22]</sup>
''"The Castro regime came to power by deception and terror, resulting in what can only be described as a state of war against the Cuban people. Executions, labor camps, forced re-locations and exile, and the imposition of a repressive military police force to exercise control over civilian society."''<sup>[22]</sup>


As prime minister, and then president from 1976, Castro ruled the country in line with Stalinist policies, seizing private property and eliminating free speech and free press. He was infamous for his overly long speeches, often rambling on for hours, which can be seen as an example of Liberal style. He was also virulently [[Homophobia|homophobic]] and heavily prosecuted homosexuals to the point where even his own advisers tried to reign in his homophobia, to no avail.  
As prime minister, and then president from 1976, Castro ruled the country in line with Stalinist policies, seizing private property and eliminating free speech and free press. He was infamous for his overly long speeches, often rambling on for hours, which can be seen as an example of Liberal style. He was also virulently [[Homophobia|homophobic]] and heavily prosecuted homosexuals to the point where even his own advisers tried to reign in his homophobia, to no avail.


Castro, who had been in regular contact with the KGB since 1956 and who used Soviet arms during his guerilla war, welcomed the presence of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba to deter an American attack. This decision precipitated the Cuban Missile Crisis, a major confrontation in the Cold War that nearly resulted in the cataclysmic death of millions. According to Guevara: "If the [Soviet nuclear] rockets had remained, we would have used them all and directed them against the very heart of the United States, including New York."<sup>[23]</sup> Nikita Khrushchev wrote that, according to Castro, "we needed to immediately deliver a nuclear missile strike against the United States… a proposal that placed the planet on the brink of extinction."<sup>[24]</sup> Fidel Castro admitted: "I would have agreed to the use of nuclear weapons."<sup>[25]</sup> On October 26, 1962, the USS Beale had tracked and dropped signaling depth charges (the size of hand grenades) on the B-59, a Soviet Project 641 (NATO designation Foxtrot) submarine which, unknown to the U.S., was armed with a 15 kiloton nuclear torpedo. Running out of air, the Soviet submarine was surrounded by American warships and desperately needed to surface. Captain Valentin Savitsky ordered his crew to prepare the use of a nuclear torpedo against the Americans, but crew member Vasili Arkhipov stepped in and quite literally saved the world.
Castro, who had been in regular contact with the KGB since 1956 and who used Soviet arms during his guerilla war, welcomed the presence of Soviet nuclear weapons in Cuba to deter an American attack. This decision precipitated the Cuban Missile Crisis, a major confrontation in the Cold War that nearly resulted in the cataclysmic death of millions. According to Guevara: "If the [Soviet nuclear] rockets had remained, we would have used them all and directed them against the very heart of the United States, including New York."<sup>[23]</sup> Nikita Khrushchev wrote that, according to Castro, "we needed to immediately deliver a nuclear missile strike against the United States… a proposal that placed the planet on the brink of extinction."<sup>[24]</sup> Fidel Castro admitted: "I would have agreed to the use of nuclear weapons."<sup>[25]</sup> On October 26, 1962, the USS Beale had tracked and dropped signaling depth charges (the size of hand grenades) on the B-59, a Soviet Project 641 (NATO designation Foxtrot) submarine which, unknown to the U.S., was armed with a 15 kiloton nuclear torpedo. Running out of air, the Soviet submarine was surrounded by American warships and desperately needed to surface. Captain Valentin Savitsky ordered his crew to prepare the use of a nuclear torpedo against the Americans, but crew member Vasili Arkhipov stepped in and quite literally saved the world.
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Ever eager to make trouble, Castro dispatched Che to assist the Chinese-and Soviet-backed "Simbas" of Laurent Kabila in the Congo, who were "murdering, raping and munching (many were cannibals) their way through the defenseless Europeans still left in the recently abandoned Belgian colony."<sup>[20]</sup> The CIA fought a proxy war with Communist forces in the Congo, which descended into a complex maze of chaotic maneuverings and betrayals by several major world powers.
Ever eager to make trouble, Castro dispatched Che to assist the Chinese-and Soviet-backed "Simbas" of Laurent Kabila in the Congo, who were "murdering, raping and munching (many were cannibals) their way through the defenseless Europeans still left in the recently abandoned Belgian colony."<sup>[20]</sup> The CIA fought a proxy war with Communist forces in the Congo, which descended into a complex maze of chaotic maneuverings and betrayals by several major world powers.


Castro, all the while hypocritically maintaining an "anti-imperialist" political posture, would intervene extensively in the internal affairs of African nations through violence and war. Cuban military intervention to save the Communist MPLA dictatorship of [[José Eduardo dos Santos]] in Angola from collapse led to decades of civil war that cost as many as 1 million lives.<sup>[26]</sup> Castro also dispatched Cuban troops to fight on behalf of the [[Derg]] (the Communist military junta in Ethiopia), which killed 1.25 million people through massacre and forced starvation.<sup>[27]</sup> He also gained Libyan dictator [[Muammar Gaddafi]] as an ally.  
Castro, all the while hypocritically maintaining an "anti-imperialist" political posture, would intervene extensively in the internal affairs of African nations through violence and war. Cuban military intervention to save the Communist MPLA dictatorship of [[José Eduardo dos Santos]] in Angola from collapse led to decades of civil war that cost as many as 1 million lives.<sup>[26]</sup> Castro also dispatched Cuban troops to fight on behalf of the [[Derg]] (the Communist military junta in Ethiopia), which killed 1.25 million people through massacre and forced starvation.<sup>[27]</sup> He also gained Libyan dictator [[Muammar Gaddafi]] as an ally.


Soviet and Cuban support for Communist violence caused civil wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.<sup>[28]</sup> Support from the Cuban government was also given to terrorists from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) lead by [[Yasser Arafat]].<sup>[29]</sup>
Soviet and Cuban support for Communist violence caused civil wars in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.<sup>[28]</sup> Support from the Cuban government was also given to terrorists from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) lead by [[Yasser Arafat]].<sup>[29]</sup>
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