NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Cuba

^a As shown on the obverse of the 1992 coin^[1] (Note that the Spanish words "Ka Patria" feminine in Spanish is translated into English as either "Cradle" or "Place of Birth" or "Homeland.")
^b^[2] states that "Cuba is an independent and sovereign socialist state [Article 1]... the name of the Cuban state is Republic of Cuba [Article 2]." The usage "socialist republic" to describe the style of government of Cuba is nearly uniform, though forms of government have no universally agreed typology. For example, Atlapedia^[3] describes it as "Unitary Socialist Republic"; Encyclopedia Britannica^[4] omits the word "unitary," as do most sources.
^c At the start of the Ten Years' War.
^d From 1993 to 2004, the U.S. dollar was used in addition to the peso until the dollar was replaced by the convertible peso.

The Republic of Cuba (Spanish: Cuba (help· info) or República de Cuba (help· info) [re'puβlika ðe ˈkuβa]), consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous of the Greater Antilles), Isla de la Juventud and several adjacent small islands. Cuba is located in the northern Caribbean at the confluence of the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Cuba is south of the eastern United States and The Bahamas, west of the Turks and Caicos Islands and Haiti and east of Mexico. The Cayman Islands and Jamaica are to the south. The national flower is Hedychium Coronarium Koenig, most known as "mariposa" (butterfly) and the national bird is "Tocororo" or "Cuban Trogon" from the family of Trogonidae. Cuba is a Caribbean island country. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Cuba. ... Image File history File links Cuba_coa. ... Flag ratio: 1:2 The flag of Cuba was adopted on May 20, 1902. ... The Cuban Coat of Arms is the official heraldic symbol of Cuba. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... El Himno de Bayamo (The Bayamo Anthem) is the national anthem of Cuba. ... Image File history File links LocationCuba. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... Demographics of Cuba, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands. ... This article is about the capital of Cuba. ... An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers state) can carry one of several different (but related) meanings: Strictly speaking, any real or hypothetical state organized along the principles of socialism may be called a socialist state. ... The Council of State is a thirty-one member body of the Republic of Cuba elected by the National Assembly of Peopleâ€™s Power. ... Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... The Council of State is a thirty-one member body of the Republic of Cuba elected by the National Assembly of Peopleâ€™s Power. ... This article is about the Cuban politician. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1868 (MDCCCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar (or a leap year starting on Monday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that led to the overthrow of General Fulgencio Batistas regime on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement and other revolutionary elements within the country. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different geographical regions, we list here surface areas between 100,000 kmÂ² and 1,000,000 kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (â‰ˆ1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... The purchasing power parity (PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their purchasing power. ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... This article includes two lists of countries of the world[1] sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) at purchasing power parity (PPP) per capita, the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year divided by the average population for the same year. ... This page talks about Human Developpment Index, for other HDIs see HDI (disambiguation) World map indicating Human Development Index (2007). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (2007) (Colour-blind compliant map) For red-green color vision problems. ... ISO 4217 Code CUP User(s) Cuba Inflation 5% Source The World Factbook, 2006 est. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... The Cuban convertible peso (ISO 4217 code: CUC) is one of two official currencies in Cuba. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Eastern Standard Time redirects here. ... UTC redirects here. ... Although DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... is the 70th day of the year (71st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... UTC redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .cu is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Cuba. ... This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E.164. ... Combatants Cuba Spain Commanders Carlos Manuel de CÃ©spedes MÃ¡ximo GÃ³mez Antonio Maceo Grajales Arsenio MartÃnez Campos Strength 12,000 rebels ?? Casualties +300,000 rebels and civilian ?? The Ten Years War, (Guerra de los Diez AÃ±os) (also known as the Great War) began on October 10... USD redirects here. ... Image File history File links CUBA.oggâ€Ž Pronunciation of Cuba in Spanish by native speaker I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links RCUB.oggâ€Ž Pronunciation of RepÃºblica de Cuba (Republic of Cuba) in Spanish by native speaker I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Location of the Greater Antilles (green) in relation to the rest of the Caribbean The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as the West Indies are sorted by size and location into the Bahamas (or Lucayan archipelago), the Lesser Antilles and the Greater Antilles. ... The Isla de la Juventud (Spanish) or Isle of Youth (English) is the largest island of Cuba after Cuba proper. ... West Indies redirects here. ... Map of Central America and the Caribbean The Caribbean Sea (pronounced or ) is a tropical sea in the Western Hemisphere, part of the Atlantic Ocean, southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Cuba is the most populous nation in the Caribbean. Its people, culture and customs draw from several sources including the aboriginal Taíno and Ciboney peoples, the period of Spanish colonialism, the introduction of African slaves, and its proximity to the United States. The island has a tropical climate that is moderated by the surrounding waters; however, the warm temperatures of the Caribbean Sea and the fact that the island of Cuba sits across the access to the Gulf of Mexico make Cuba prone to frequent hurricanes. Cuba's main island, at 766 miles long (1,232.5 km), is the world's 17th largest. Winston Churchill, who knew Cuba well, considered it to be a "...large, rich, beautiful island..." ^[5] The culture of Cuba is a complex mixture of different, often contrasting, factors and influences. ... For other uses, see Taino (disambiguation). ... Ciboney (also Siboney) is a word derived from the Caribbean Indian language of the Arawak. ... An anachronous map of the overseas Spanish Empire (1492-1898) in red, and the Spanish Habsburg realms in Europe (1516-1714) in orange. ... Slavery in the Spanish colonies began with local Natives. ... Naples beach in Florida lined with coconut trees is an example of a tropical climate. ... Cyclone Catarina, a rare South Atlantic tropical cyclone viewed from the International Space Station on March 26, 2004 Hurricane and Typhoon redirect here. ... Churchill redirects here. ...

1 History
2 Government and politics
3 Provinces and municipalities
4 Geography
5 Society
- 5.1 Education
- 5.2 Public health
6 Demographics
- 6.1 Exodus
7 Religion
8 Culture
9 Economy
- 9.1 Class privilege
10 Military
11 See also
12 Notes
13 External links

History

Main articles: History of Cuba and Timeline of Cuban history

First voyage.

The recorded history of Cuba began on 17 October 1492, when Christopher Columbus sighted the island during his first voyage of discovery and claimed it for Spain.^[6] Columbus named the island Isla Juana in reference to Prince Juan, the heir apparent.^[7] The island had been inhabited by Native American peoples known as the Taíno and Ciboney whose ancestors had come from South America and possibly North and Central America in a complex series of migrations at least several centuries before, and perhaps 6,000 to 8,000 years ago.^[8] The Taíno were farmers and the Ciboney (far more commonly written Siboney in neo-Taino nations) were both farmers and hunter-gatherers; some have suggested that copper trade was significant and mainland artifacts ^[9] have been found in proximal Taíno cultures. Map of the West Indies, Mexico and New Spain with Cuba in the center drawn by Herman Moll in 1736. ... Havana Banco Nacional, by Mario Perez, pen/ink and watercolor. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1861x1085, 77 KB) Summary First voyage of Columbus. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1861x1085, 77 KB) Summary First voyage of Columbus. ... is the 290th day of the year (291st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also film, 1492: Conquest of Paradise. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 â€“ May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... Christopher Columbus (1451 â€“ May 20, 1506) was a navigator, colonizer, and explorer and one of the first Europeans to explore the Americas after the Vikings. ... Francisco Pradilla Ortizs painting Cortejo del bautizo del PrÃncipe Don Juan, hijo de los Reyes CatÃ³licos, por las calles de Sevilla (Retinue of the Baptism of Don Juan, son of the Catholic Monarchs, Along the Streets of Seville), 1910 Infante don Juan de Trastamare de Aragon y... Native Americans redirects here. ... For other uses, see Taino (disambiguation). ... Ciboney (also Siboney) is a word derived from the Caribbean Indian language of the Arawak. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ... Neo-taino nations are defined here as the assorted nations of the Caribbean islands, that together with the Tainos, were described on the arrival of European chroniclers or which arose after this historic record was established. ... In anthropology, the hunter-gatherer way of life is that led by certain societies of the Neolithic Era based on the exploitation of wild plants and animals. ...

The coast of Cuba was fully mapped by Sebastián de Ocampo in 1511, and in that year the first Spanish settlement was founded by Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar at Baracoa. Other towns including Havana (founded in 1515) soon followed. The Spanish, as they did throughout the Americas, oppressed and enslaved the approximately 100,000 indigenous people that resisted conversion to Christianity on the island. Within a century they had all but disappeared as a distinct nation as a result of the combined effects of European-introduced disease, forced labor and other mistreatment, though aspects of the region's aboriginal heritage has survived in part via the rise of a significant Mestizo population.^[10]^[11] With destruction of aboriginal society, the settlers began to exploit African slaves, with more resistance to the diseases from the Old World, and who soon made up a significant proportion of the inhabitants. SebastiÃ¡n de Ocampo was a Spanish navigator and explorer. ... For loved to eat live babies and terrorists the Spanish painter, see Diego VelÃ¡zquez. ... A cabin in the hills near Baracoa Baracoa is a city in GuantÃ¡namo Province in extreme eastern Cuba. ... This article is about the capital of Cuba. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The term indigenous people has no universal, standard or fixed definition, but can be used about any ethnic group who inhabit the geographic region with which they have the earliest historical connection. ... Language(s) Predominantly Spanish, (with a minority of other languages), while MestiÃ§os speaks Portuguese Religion(s) Christianity (Predominantly Roman Catholic, with a minority of Protestant and other Religions) Related ethnic groups European (mostly Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian), Amerindian people, Austronesian people, Hispanics and Latinos Mestizo (Portuguese: MestiÃ§o... Slavery in the Spanish colonies began with local Natives. ... The Old World consists of those parts of Earth known to Europeans, Asians, and Africans before the voyages of Christopher Columbus; it includes Europe, Asia, and Africa (collectively known as Africa-Eurasia), plus surrounding islands. ...

Colonial Cuba

Cuba was in Spanish possession for almost 400 years (circa 1511-1898) They had an economy based on plantation agriculture and mining, the export of sugar, coffee and tobacco to Europe and later to North America. Havana was seized by the British in 1762, but restored to Spain the following year. The Spanish population was boosted by settlers leaving Haiti when that territory was ceded to France. As in other parts of the Spanish Empire, the small land-owning elite of Spanish-descended settlers held social and economic power, supported by a population of Criollo, small farmers, laborers and African-descended slaves. This article is about mineral extractions. ... This article is about sugar as food and as an important and widely traded commodity. ... For other uses, see Coffee (disambiguation). ... Shredded tobacco leaf for pipe smoking Tobacco can also be pressed into plugs and sliced into flakes Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the fresh leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... North America North America is a continent [1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... An anachronous map of the overseas Spanish Empire (1492-1898) in red, and the Spanish Habsburg realms in Europe (1516-1714) in orange. ... Criollo, in the Spanish colonial Casta system (caste system) of Latin America, was a person born in the Spanish colonies deemed to have purity of blood in respect to the individuals European ancestry. ...

In the 1820s, when the other parts of Spain’s empire in Latin America rebelled and formed independent states, Cuba remained loyal, although there was some agitation for independence. This was partly because the prosperity of the Cuban settlers depended on their export trade to Europe, partly through fears of a slave rebellion (as had happened in Haiti) if the Spanish withdrew and partly because the Cubans feared the rising power of the United States more than they disliked Spanish rules. A slave rebellion is an armed uprising by slaves. ...

An additional factor was the continuous migration of Spaniards to Cuba from all social strata, a demographical trend that had ceased to exist in other Spanish possessions decades before and which contributed to the slow development of a Cuban national identity. Pirates were also still a problem and defense against them depended heavily on the presence of Spanish troops. ^[12]

Cuba’s proximity to the U.S. has been a powerful influence on its history. Throughout the 19th century, Southern politicians in the U.S. plotted the island’s annexation as a means of strengthening the pro-slavery forces in the U.S., and there was usually a party in Cuba which supported such a policy. In 1848, a pro-annexations rebellion was defeated and there were several attempts by annexationist forces to invade the island from Florida. There were also regular proposals in the U.S. to buy Cuba from Spain. During the summer of 1848, President James K. Polk quietly authorized his ambassador to Spain, Romulus Mitchell Saunders, to negotiate the purchase of Cuba and offer Spain up to $100 million, an astonishing sum of money at the time for one territory. Spain, however, refused to consider ceding one of its last possessions in the Americas. This article is about the U.S. State of Florida. ... This article is about the U.S. President. ... Romulus Mitchell Saunders (3 March 1791 â€” 21 April 1867) was a North Carolina politician. ...

Castillo de los Tres Reyes del Morro (Morro Castle (fortress), built in 1589 to guard the eastern entrance to Havana bay).

However, trade in sugar and molasses was $18,000,000 in 1859 alone ^[13] Image File history File links Castillo_del_morro. ... Image File history File links Castillo_del_morro. ... The Morro Castle by night Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro (or Morro Castle) is a picturesque fortress guarding the entrance to Havana bay in Havana, Cuba. ...

After the American Civil War apparently ended the threat of pro-slavery annexation, agitation for Cuban independence from Spain revived, leading to a rebellion in 1868 led by Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, a wealthy lawyer landowner from Oriente province who freed his slaves, proclaimed a war and was named President of the Cuban Republic-in-arms. This resulted in a prolonged conflict known as the Ten Years' War between pro-independence forces and the Spanish Army, allied with local supporters. There was much sympathy in the U.S. for the independence cause, but the U.S. declined to intervene militarily or to even recognize the legitimacy of the Cuban government in arms, despite the fact that many European and Latin American nations had done so. ^[14] In 1878, the Pact of Zanjón ended the conflict, with Spain promising greater autonomy to Cuba. Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Carlos CÃ©spedes. ... Combatants Cuba Spain Commanders Carlos Manuel de CÃ©spedes MÃ¡ximo GÃ³mez Antonio Maceo Grajales Arsenio MartÃnez Campos Strength 12,000 rebels ?? Casualties +300,000 rebels and civilian ?? The Ten Years War, (Guerra de los Diez AÃ±os) (also known as the Great War) began on October 10... The Pact of ZanjÃ³n was the treaty that ended the Cuban Ten Year War. ...

The island was exhausted after this long conflict and pro-independence agitation temporarily died down. There was also a prevalent fear that if the Spanish withdrew or if there was further civil strife, the increasingly expansionist U.S. would step in and annex the island. In 1879-1880, Cuban patriot Calixto Garcia attempted to start another war, known in Cuban history as "la guerra chiquita" (the little war) but received little support.^[15] Partly in response to U.S. pressure, slavery was abolished in 1886, although the African-descended minority remained socially and economically oppressed, despite formal civic equality granted in 1893. During this period, the rural poverty in Spain provoked by the Spanish Revolution of 1868 and its aftermath led to an even greater Spanish emigration to Cuba.

During the 1890s, pro-independence agitation revived, fueled by resentment of the restrictions imposed on Cuban trade by Spain and hostility to Spain’s increasingly oppressive and incompetent administration of Cuba. Few of the promises for economic reform made by the Spanish government in the Pact of Zanjon were kept. In April 1895, a new war was declared, led by the writer and poet José Martí who had organized the war over a ten year period while in exile in the U.S. and proclaimed Cuba an independent republic — Martí was killed at Dos Rios shortly after landing in Cuba with the eastern expeditionary force. His death immortalized him and he has become Cuba’s undisputed national hero. For other persons named JosÃ© MartÃ, see JosÃ© MartÃ (disambiguation). ...

The Spanish armed forces totaled about 200,000 troops against a much smaller rebel army which relied mostly on guerilla and sabotage tactics to fight battles, and the Spaniards retaliated with a campaign of suppression. General Valeriano Weyler was appointed military governor of Cuba, and as a repressive measure he herded the rural population into what he called reconcentrados, described by international observers as "fortified towns." These reconcentrados are often considered the prototype for the 20th century concentration camps.^[16] Between 200,000 and 400,000 Cuban civilians died from starvation and disease during this period in the camps. These numbers were verified by both the Red Cross and U.S. Senator (and former Secretary of War) Redfield Proctor. U.S. and European protests against Spanish conduct on the island followed.^[17]. General Valeriano Weyler Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, marquÃ©s de Tenerife (17 September 1838 - 20 October 1930) was a Spanish soldier. ... General Valeriano Weyler Valeriano Weyler y Nicolau, marquÃ©s de Tenerife (17 September 1838 - 20 October 1930) was a Spanish soldier. ... Redfield Proctor (June 1, 1831â€“March 4, 1908) was an American politician in the Republican Party. ...

Military events of consequence include the break out to the western provinces "La Invasion", and the taking of the fort complexes at Tunas and Guisa.

In 1897, fearing U.S. intervention, Spain moved to a more conciliatory policy, promising home rule with an elected legislature. The rebels rejected this offer and the war for independence continued.

The Maine incident

Main article: USS Maine (ACR-1)

The U.S. battleship Maine, the largest Navy ship built in an American shipyard to date, arrived in Havana on January 25, 1898. The Spanish and their Cuban supporters saw the uninvited arrival of the Maine as intimidation, though McKinley claimed it was to offer protection to the 8,000 American residents in the island. USS Maine (ACR-1), the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of Maine, was a 6682-ton second-class pre-dreadnought battleship originally designated as Armored Cruiser #1. ... For other uses, see Battleship (disambiguation). ... USS Maine (ACR-1), the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of Maine, was a 6682-ton second-class pre-dreadnought battleship originally designated as Armored Cruiser #1. ... is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

On 15 February the Maine was mysteriously blown up in Havana harbor, killing 266 men. Forces in the U.S. favoring intervention in Cuba seized on this incident to accuse Spain of blowing up the ship (although Spain had no motive for doing so and there was no evidence of Spanish culpability^{[citation needed]}). Swept along on a wave of nationalist sentiment, the U.S. Congress passed a resolution calling for intervention^[18] and President William McKinley was quick to comply. is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the 25th President of the United States; for other people named William McKinley, see William McKinley (disambiguation). ...

Those skeptical of the U.S. accusations were suspicious because the most important officers were at a party on shore. There were 81 foreigners and 82 black seamen among the 25 officers and 318 enlisted killed.

An investigative commission arrived in Havana on February 21 aboard USS Mangrove where Judge Advocate of the Navy Adolf Marix reported the ship had been sunk by a mine placed underneath the ship by a diver named Pepe "Taco" Barquin.^[19] Marix reported Jose "Taco" Barquin had been offered $6,000 and was killed the day after. Another diver was killed by guards and another wounded and jailed on the night of the explosion. The one in jail (his arrest was recorded in Regla's official documents), Marix reported, was being poisoned by the Spanish authorities. is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... US Navy Judge Advocate General Corps Seal The Judge Advocates Generals Corps also known as the JAG Corps or JAG is the legal arm of the US Navy. ... Mine can refer to a number of things: Mines are tunnels used in mining for extraction of resources. ...

According to a letter from Brigadier Freyre de Andrade, the chief planners were Garcia Corujedo, Villasuso, Maribona and other Freemason businessmen, associated with gun runner Maximo Gomez and New York politician Astor Chandler, a friend of Theodore Roosevelt.^{[citation needed]} Máximo Gómez Máximo Gómez y Báez was a general in the Ten Years War and Cubas military commander in that countrys War of Independence (late 19th century. ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ...

Commonly authors find the matter far less definitive and assignment of guilt far less clear.^[20] McMorrow ^[21], states: "Thus, the conclusion that the explosion which destroyed the ship was triggered by an external blast, as reached by both the Sampson and Vreeland inquiries, seems to be a valid one. Having reached that same conclusion, we still don't know what actually caused the blast. Was the MAINE destroyed by a Spanish mine, as so many believed in 1898, by sabotage, or by some kind of infernal machine^[22]" ?" This article might not be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...

Since early investigations pointed to Spanish involvement, the geopolitics of the Cuban circumstance, the growing military power of the U.S. plus public horror at the massive death toll of the repressive actions by the Spanish government, sentiment in the United States in favor of war with Spain over Cuba was very strong.

The result was the Spanish-American War, in which U.S. forces landed in Cuba in June 1898 and quickly overcame the exhausted Spanish resistance. In August a peace treaty was signed under which Spain agreed to withdraw from Cuba. Some advocates in the U.S. supported Cuban independence, while others argued for outright annexation. As a compromise, the McKinley administration placed Cuba under a 20-year U.S. treaty. The Cuban independence movement bitterly opposed this arrangement, but unlike the Philippines, where events had followed a similar course, there was no outbreak of armed resistance. Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Kingdom of Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey MÃ¡ximo GÃ³mez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Arsenio Linares RamÃ³n Blanco Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and... Combatants United States Philippines several groups post-1902 Commanders William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt Wesley Merritt Elwell Stephen Otis J. Franklin Bell Henry Ware Lawtonâ€ John J. Pershing Joseph Wheeler Emilio Aguinaldo Miguel Malvar Pio del Pilar Manuel Tinio Gregorio del Pilarâ€ Licerio Geronimo Vicente Lukban Juan Cailles Maximino Hizon Antonio...

Independence

Theodore Roosevelt, who had fought in the Spanish-American War and had some sympathies with the independence movement, succeeded McKinley as President of the United States in 1901 and abandoned the 20-year treaty proposal. Instead, the Republic of Cuba gained formal independence on 20 May 1902, with the independence leader Tomás Estrada Palma becoming the country’s first president. Under the new Cuban constitution, however, the U.S. retained the right to intervene in Cuban affairs and to supervise its finances and foreign relations. Under the Platt Amendment, Cuba also agreed to lease to the U.S. the naval base at Guantánamo Bay. Cuba today does not celebrate May 20 as their date of independence, but instead October 10, as the first declaration of independence, May 1 international (but not US) labor day, and also July 26, the date of Castro's first attack on Moncada Barracks^[23] Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday [1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... TomÃ¡s Estrada Palma (1835 - 1908) was a Cuban political figure, [[1]]. He served as the first president of Cuba between 1902 and 1906. ... Page one of the Platt Amendment The Platt Amendment was a rider amended to the Army Appropriations Act, a United States federal law passed on March 2, 1901 that stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba since the Spanish-American War, and defined the... Map of Cuba with location of GuantÃ¡namo Bay indicated. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1906, following disputed elections, an armed revolt lead by Independence War Veterans broke out and that defeated the meager government forces loyal to Estrada Palma and the U.S. exercised its right of intervention.^[24] The country was placed under U.S. occupation and a U.S. governor, Charles Edward Magoon, took charge for three years. Magoon's governorship in Cuba was viewed in a negative light by many Cuban historians for years thereafter, believing that much political corruption was introduced during Magoon's years as governor.^[25] In 1908, self-government was restored when José Miguel Gómez was elected President, but the U.S. retained its supervision of Cuban affairs. TomÃ¡s Estrada Palma (1835 - 1908) was a Cuban political figure, [[1]]. He served as the first president of Cuba between 1902 and 1906. ... Charles Edward Magoon (December 5, 1861 â€“ January 14, 1920) was an American lawyer, judge, diplomat, and colonial administrator who is best remembered as a colonial governor of both the Panama Canal Zone and Cuba. ... JosÃ© Miguel GÃ³mez was a general in the Cuban War of Independence who went on to become an important politician. ...

1912 Race War

In 1912 Partido Independiente de Color attempted to establish a separate black republic in Oriente Province.^[26] Perhaps because the group lacked sufficient weaponry the main tactic was to set businesses and private residences on fire.^[27] The movement was a failure and General Monteagudo suppressed the rebels with considerable bloodshed. Historians differ on the interpretation of this circumstance, some view it as suppression of Black rights, others as an attempt at racial cleansing and secession on part of the Black activists. ^[28]

World War I

Cuban pilots distinguished themselves fighting for France in the Lafayette Escadrille [4]. Cuba shipped considerable sugar to England, via smuggling strategy which avoided U-boat attack by the subterfuge of shipping sugar to Sweden (this operation was managed by Cuban Ambassador Carlos Garcia Velez, General Calixto Garcia's eldest surviving son). During the unsuccessful revolt against the Menocal government in 1917, the government attributed this in part to pro-German sentiment on part of the "Liberales." However, this was not proven to most historians satisfaction. The Menocal government declared war on Germany very soon after the U.S. did, and as a result the Mexican government broke off relations with Cuba. A SPAD S.XIII in Lafayette Escadrille livery James Norman Hall (1887-1951) of the Lafayette Escadrille, 1917 The Lafayette Escadrille (from the French Escadrille Lafayette) was a squadron of the French Air Service, the AÃ©ronautique militaire, during World War I composed largely of American pilots flying fighters. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... Calixto Garcia was born on August 4, 1839 in Holguin. ...

After World War I

Despite frequent outbreaks of disorder, however, constitutional government was maintained until 1930, when Gerardo Machado y Morales suspended the constitution. Gerardo Machado (y Morales) (1871 - 1939), was a Cuban general and political figure. ...

Great Theater of Havana, Garcia Lorca

Machado's government had considerable local support despite its violent suppression of critics. However, it was during this period that Soviet intrusion into Cuban affairs began with the arrival in Cuba of Fabio Grobart. During Machado's tenure, a nationalistic economic program was pursued with several major national development projects being undertaken(see Infrastructure of Cuba. Carretera Central and El Capitolio). Image File history File links TeatroGarciaLorca. ... Image File history File links TeatroGarciaLorca. ... Soviet redirects here. ... The references in this article would be clearer with a different and/or consistent style of citation, footnoting or external linking. ... Cuban infrastructure is significant and includes: massive Spanish fortifications built in principal ports [1] (e. ... Outline Map Carretera Central (Central Rd. ... A stue in front of El Capitolio, shielding the Sun The National Capitol Building or El Capitolio, in Havana, Cuba, houses the Cuban Academy of Sciences. ...

Machado's hold on power was weakened following a decline in the demand for exported agricultural produce due to the Great Depression, the attacks first by War of Independence Veterans, and later by covert terrorist organizations principally the ABC ^[29] For other uses, see The Great Depression (disambiguation). ...

During a general strike in which the communist party took the side of Machado ^[30] the Senior elements of the Cuban army forced Machado into exile and installed Carlos Manuel de Céspedes, son of Cuba's founding father, as President. In September, 4th-5th (1933) however, a second coup (led by sergeants, most notably Fulgencio Batista, overthrew Céspedes leading to the formation of the first Ramón Grau San Martín government.) Notable bloody events in this violent period include the separate sieges of Hotel Nacional and Atares Castle (see Blas Hernandez). This government lasted just 100 days, but engineered radical socialistic changes in Cuban society and a rejection of the Platt amendment. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Carlos CÃ©spedes. ... General Fulgencio Batista (pronounced or ) y ZaldÃvar (January 16, 1901 â€“ August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician. ... RamÃ³n Grau San MartÃn was a university professor, as well as Cuban president from September 10, 1933 to January 15, 1934. ... Musicians at the Hotel Nacional, Havana. ... Colonel Juan Blas HernÃ¡ndez (January 20, 1879-November 9, 1933) was a prominent figure in the 1933 revolt against Gerardo Machado. ... Page one of the Platt Amendment The Platt Amendment was a rider amended to the Army Appropriations Act, a United States federal law passed on March 2, 1901 that stipulated the conditions for the withdrawal of United States troops remaining in Cuba since the Spanish-American War, and defined the...

In 1934, Batista and the army, who were the real center of power in Cuba, replaced Grau with Carlos Mendieta y Montefur. In 1940, Batista decided to run for President himself. Because of a split with the leader of the opposition, Ramón Grau San Martín, Batista turned instead to the Communist Party of Cuba, which had grown in size and influence during the 1930s. Carlos Mendieta y Montefur (1873-1960) was a Cuban politician. ... RamÃ³n Grau San MartÃn was a university professor, as well as Cuban president from September 10, 1933 to January 15, 1934. ... The Communist Party of Cuba (Spanish: Partido Comunista de Cuba, PCC) is currently the only officially recognized political party in Cuba. ...

Batista's control ends with democratic rule

With the support of the Communist-controlled labor unions, Batista was elected President and his administration carried out major social reforms. Several members of the Communist Party held office under his administration. Batista's administration formally took Cuba into World War II as a U.S. ally, declaring war on Japan on December 9, 1941, then on Germany and Italy on December 11, 1941; Cuba, however, did not significantly participate militarily in World War II hostilities. At the end of his term in 1944, in accordance with the constitution, Batista stepped down and Ramón Grau was elected to succeed him. Grau initiated increased government spending on health, education and housing. Grau’s auténticos were bitter enemies of the Communists and Batista, which opposed most of Grau’s program. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Dr. RamÃ³n Grau San MartÃn (1882-1969) was a Cuban revolutionary leader who led a successful student-labor uprising against the unpopular regime of Gerardo Machado in 1933. ...

World War II

While Cuba, although supplying vast quantities of sugar, and strategic manganese metal, was not greatly involved in combat during WWII; although, U.S. air bases were established, Cuban freighters were sunk, a German spy was discovered and executed, and a German submarine was sunk by the Cuban Navy. During WWII the Nazis counterfeited vast sums of U.S. currency which was sent via the Dozenberg group to Cuba and other parts of Latin America; Soviet directions to the Cuban communist party, seem to have been sent via radio from Switzerland by the Alexander Foote Network ^[31]

After World War II

Grau completed his presidential term. In 1948, Grau was succeeded by Carlos Prío Socarrás, who had been Grau's minister of labor and was particularly hated by the Communists. Corruption is generally believed to have increased notably under Prío's administration; however not all accusations of corruption were proven, and Eduardo Chibás, leader of the Ortodoxo party to which Fidel Castro belonged, committed suicide when his allegations were not substantiated. Corruption is partially attributed to the influx of gambling money into Havana, which became a safe haven for mafia operations. However, the influence and power of the organized crime syndicates in Cuba is commonly exaggerated.^[32] Prío carried out major reforms such as founding a National Bank and stabilizing the Cuban currency. The influx of investment fueled a boom which did much to raise living standards across the board and create a prosperous middle class in most urban areas, although the gap between rich and poor became wider and more obvious. ^[33] Carlos PrÃo SocarrÃ¡s (July 14, 1903 - April 5, 1977) was President of Cuba from 1948 until he was deposed by a military coup led by Fulgencio Batista on March 10, 1952, three months before new elections were to be held [1]. // Youth Prio was born in BahÃa... Eduardo ChibÃ¡s (1907-1951) was a Cuban anti-communist politician who used radio to broadcast his political views to the public. ... This article is about the criminal society. ...

From Batista to Castro

Main article: Cuban Revolution

Bullet riddled truck used in the attack on the Presidential Palace in Havana by the Directorio Revolucionario and the Organizacion Autentica in 1957

The 1952 election was a three-way race. Roberto Agramonte of the Ortodoxos party led in all the polls, followed by Dr. Aurelio Hevia of the Auténtico party, and running a distant third was Batista, who was seeking a return to office. Both front runners, Agramonte and Hevia in their own camps, had decided to name Col. Ramon Barquin, then a diplomat in Washington, DC to head the Cuban Armed Forces after the elections. Barquin was a top officer who commanded the respect of the professional army and had promised to eliminate corruption in the ranks. Batista feared that Barquin would oust him and his followers, and when it became apparent that Batista had little chance of winning, he staged a coup on 10 March 1952 and held power with the backing of a nationalist section of the army as a “provisional president” for the next two years. Justo Carrillo told Barquin in Washington in March 1952 that the inner circles knew that Batista had aimed the coup at him; they immediately began to conspire to oust Batista and restore democracy and civilian government in what was later dubbed La Conspiracion de los Puros de 1956 (Agrupacion Montecristi). In 1954, under pressure from the U.S.^{[citation needed]}, Batista agreed to elections. The Partido Auténtico put forward ex-President Grau as their candidate, but he withdrew amid allegations that Batista was rigging the elections in advance. Batista could then claim to be an elected President. The Cuban Revolution refers to the revolution that led to the overthrow of General Fulgencio Batistas regime on January 1, 1959 by the 26th of July Movement and other revolutionary elements within the country. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1298x694, 124 KB) Summary Photograph of a truck used in the Cuban attack on the Moncada Barracks, complete with bullet holes. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1298x694, 124 KB) Summary Photograph of a truck used in the Cuban attack on the Moncada Barracks, complete with bullet holes. ... This article is about the capital of Cuba. ... Roberto Agramonte (born Roberto Daniel Agramonte y Pichardo in 1904 - 1995) was a philosopher and Cuban politician. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1952 (MCMLII) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... The Partido AutÃ©ntico (also known as the Cuban Revolutionary Party-AutÃ©ntico or PRC-A) was a Cuban political party most active between the years of 1933 to 1952. ... General Fulgencio Batista (pronounced or ) y ZaldÃvar (January 16, 1901 â€“ August 6, 1973) was a Cuban military officer and politician. ...

Fidel Castro directed a failed assault on the Moncada Barracks, in Santiago de Cuba, and on the smaller Carlos Manuel de Cespedes Barracks and on the Feast of Saint Ann July 26, 1953.^[34]. Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (born on August 13, 1926) is the current President of Cuba but on indefinite medical hiatus. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...

In April 1956, Batista had given the orders for Barquin to become General and Chief of the Army. But it was too late. Even after Barquin was informed, he decided to move forward with the coup to rescue the morale of the Armed Forces and the Cuban people. On April 4, 1956, a coup by hundreds of career officers led by Col. Barquin (then Vice Chairman of the Inter-American Defense Board in Washington and Cuban Military Attaché of Sea, Air and Land to the US) was frustrated by Rios Morejon. The coup broke the backbone of the Cuban Armed Forces. The officers were sentenced to the maximum terms allowed by Cuban Martial Law. Barquin was sentenced to solitary confinement for 8 years. La Conspiración de los Puros resulted in the imprisonment of the top commanding brass of the Armed Forces and the closing of the military academies. Barquin was the founder of La Escuela Superior de Guerra (Cuba's War College) and past director of La Escuela de Cadetes (Cuba's Military Academy). Without Barquin's officers the army's ability to combat the revolutionary insurgents was severely curtailed. The Inter-American Defense Board is a military War College maintained by the Organization of American States whose purpose is to educate and promote the common military defense of the Western Hemisphere. ...

On 2 December 1956 a party of 82 revolutionaries, led by Castro, landed in a yacht named Granma with the intention of establishing an armed resistance movement in the Sierra Maestra. The yacht had come from Mexico, where Castro had been exiled to, and where his army was strengthened with the help of Ernesto Che Guevara, who later became one of the most important people in the Cuban revolution and one of Castro's closest allies. Castro had gone to Mexico after serving only two years of a twenty year prison sentence for his part in a 1953 rebel attack on the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba.[5]. Castro received his pardon from Batista after being requested by the Archbishop of Santiago, Monseñor Enrique Perez Serantes and Senator Rafael Diaz-Balart, at the time Fidel Castro's brother-in-law. After the landing, Batista launched a campaign of repression against the opposition, which only served to increase support for the insurgency. With Barquin's professional officers in La Prision Modelo de Isla de Pinos in the Gulf of Mexico, the Army lacked the leadership and will to fight the insurgents. Granma is the yacht that was used to transport the fighters of the Cuban Revolution to Cuba in 1956. ... Sierra Maestra is a mountain range that runs westward across the south of the old Oriente Province from what is now GuantÃ¡namo Province to Niquero [1] in southeast Cuba, rising abruptly from the coast. ... Che Guevara Ernesto Rafael Guevara de la Serna (May 14, 1928 – October 9, 1967), commonly known as Che Guevara, was an Argentine-born Marxist revolutionary and Cuban guerrilla leader. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Santiago de Cuba is the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province in the south-eastern area of the island nation of Cuba, some 540 miles (869 km) east south-east of the Cuban capital of Havana. ... Rafael L. Diaz-Balart Gutierrez (1920-2005) Former Majority Leader of the Cuban House of Representatives. ...

Presidential Palace in Havana, now the Museum of the Revolution

Through 1957 and 1958, opposition to Batista grew, especially among the upper and middle classes and the students, among the hierarchy of the Catholic Church and in many rural areas. In response to Batista's plea to purchase better arms from the U.S. in order to root out the insurgents in the mountains, the United States government imposed an arms embargo on the Cuban government on March 14, 1958. By late 1958, the rebels had succeeded in breaking out of the Sierra Maestra and launched a general insurrection, joined by hundreds of students and others fleeing Batista’s crackdown on dissent in the cities. When the rebels captured Santa Clara, east of Havana, Batista decided the struggle was futile and fled the country to exile in Portugal and later Spain. Batista named Gen. Eulogio Cantillo Chief of the Army and gave him instructions not to release Barquin and his officers. Nevertheless, Barquin, who had the backing of the US, was rescued from Isla de Pinos in the early hours and taken to Campamento Ciudad Militar Columbia where he relieved Cantillo and assumed the post of Chief of Staff (serving as Chief of the Armed Forces and de facto president of Cuba for a short period of time) in an effort to establish order in the streets and the Armed Forces. He negotiated the symbolic change of command between Camilo Cienfuegos, Che Guevara, Raul and Fidel Castro, after the Supreme Court decided that the Revolution was the source of law and its representative should assume command. With less than 300 men Camilo assumed the post from Barquin who in Columbia alone commanded 12,000 professional soldiers. Castro’s rebel forces entered the capital on January 8, 1959. Shortly after Dr. Manuel Lleo Urrutia assumed power. Image File history File links MuseoDeLaRevolucion. ... Image File history File links MuseoDeLaRevolucion. ... Museo de la RevoluciÃ³n The Museum of the Revolution (Spanish: Museo de la RevoluciÃ³n) is a museum about the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s, located in Havana, Cuba. ... The name Catholic Church can mean a visible organization that refers to itself as Catholic, or the invisible Christian Church, viz. ... is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Jan. ... Santa Clara is the capital city of the Cuban province of Villa Clara. ... The Isle of Youth (Spanish: Isla de la Juventud) is the largest island of Cuba after Cuba proper. ... Cuban poster showing Camilo Cienfuegos. ... is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cuba following revolution

Fidel Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba in February 1959, Head of Government in the country, until temporarily handing it over to his brother, Raul Castro, for medical reasons in July 2006. During 1959, the new revolutionary government carried out measures such as the expropriation of private property with no or minimal compensation(sometimes based on property tax valuations that the owners themselves had kept artificially low)

Contents

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