Cuban Revolution

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The Cuban Revolution was the overthrow of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista by the 26th of July Movement and the establishment of a new regime led by Fidel Castro in the 1950s. It began with the assault on the Moncada base on the 26 July 1953, and ended on 1 January 1959, when Batista was driven from the country and the cities Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba were liberated by sections of the people's army, led by Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, respectively. The term "Cuban Revolution" is also used to refer to the social revolution from 1959 to present and the adoption of Marxist principles by the new Cuban Government.

Image:Fulgencio Batista.jpg
Fulgencio Batista

Early Revolution years

On July 26, 1953, a group of 119 rebels attacked the Moncada Barracks in Santiago de Cuba. Many of them were killed in the attack, the survivors, among them Fidel and his brother RaÃÂºl Castro were captured shortly afterwards. In a highly political trial, they were sentenced to long imprisonments; Castro got 15 years in the presidio modelo located on Isla de Pinos. After the 1955 elections, Batista freed all political prisoners, including the Moncada attackers. The Castro brothers went into exile in Mexico where they gathered more exiled Cubans ready to fight for their country's liberation. During that period, Castro also met the Argentinian doctor Che Guevara, who joined their forces. In November 1956, a total of 82 rebels left Mexico onboard the vessel Granma heading for Cuba. All but 12 of them were killed in the first combat immediately after their landing in what was later renamed Granma Province. Both Fidel and RaÃÂºl Castro as well as Che were among the survivors.

Triumph of the Revolution

Tanks roll into Havana

In 1958, the rebel troops began their offensive. They advanced in two groups, so called columnas. The first was led by RaÃÂºl and Fidel and headed for the eastern part of the island with the second biggest city Santiago. The second columna was under the command of Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos and proceeded towards the West and the capital Havana. The decisive battle of Santa Clara was fought and won by this second column at the year's turn. On January 1, 1959, Batista fled to the Dominican Republic. A day later, the rebels occupied both Havana and Santiago. On January 8, Fidel Castro reached Havana, completing the revolution's victory.

Castro nationalized all United States and other foreign-owned property in the nation on August 6, 1960 and the United States responded by placing an embargo on Cuba, which is still in place after more than 40 years.

In July 1961, the Integrated Revolutionary Organizations (ORI) was formed by the merger of Fidel Castro's 26th of July Revolutionary Movement, the People's Socialist Party (the old Communist Party) led by Blas Roca and the Revolutionary Directory March 13th led by Faure ChomÃÂ³n. On March 26, 1962 the ORI became the United Party of the Cuban Socialist Revolution (PURSC) which, in turn, became the Communist Party of Cuba on October 3, 1965 with Castro as First Secretary.