Latin American politics — the Cuban Revolution and Castro
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Flip to reveal answersWhat event in 1952 set the stage for the Cuban Revolution?
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Question
What event in 1952 set the stage for the Cuban Revolution?
Answer
Fulgencio Batista seized power in a military coup, cancelling scheduled elections and ruling as a dictator.
Question
Define 'foco' theory.
Answer
Che Guevara's idea that a small, dedicated guerrilla band could spark a wider revolution without waiting for ideal conditions.
Question
What happened at the Moncada Barracks in 1953?
Answer
Castro led a failed attack on the army barracks; he was captured and imprisoned, but his trial speech 'History Will Absolve Me' made him a symbol of resistance.
Question
Outline the process from the Granma landing to Batista's fall.
Answer
Granma landing (Nov 1956) → near destruction of the group → Sierra Maestra guerrilla war → Santa Clara falls to Guevara (Dec 1958) → Batista flees (1 Jan 1959).
Question
How much of Cuba's sugar land did US companies control before the revolution?
Answer
Roughly 40%, alongside dominance of utilities, mines and railways.
Question
What was Cuba's 1961 literacy campaign and its result?
Answer
A mass volunteer campaign sending young people to teach reading in the countryside; it cut illiteracy from around 25% to near zero within a year.
Question
Compare the political and economic explanations for the Cuban Revolution's success.
Answer
Political view: Batista's 1952 coup and repression eliminated legal change, forcing armed revolt. Economic view: US-dominated sugar economy and rural poverty built the deep discontent that fuelled the guerrillas.
Question
What were the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution?
Answer
Neighbourhood-level watch groups that monitored citizens for 'counter-revolutionary' behaviour, making organized opposition to Castro very risky.
Question
Why did the Soviet collapse of 1991 hurt Cuba so badly?
Answer
The USSR had subsidized Cuba for decades by buying sugar above market price and supplying cheap oil; when it collapsed, Cuba entered the severe 'Special Period' economic crisis.
Question
What was the Mariel boatlift (1980)?
Answer
A mass emigration of over 100,000 Cubans who left legally for the US, showing continued discontent even at the height of Castro's rule.
Question
Name two social policies and two political controls Castro used to maintain power.
Answer
Social: land redistribution, free universal healthcare/education. Political: one-party communist rule, censorship and secret police surveillance.
Question
What must a 'To what extent do you agree' Paper 3 essay ultimately deliver?
Answer
A substantiated judgement that weighs both sides of the claim with specific evidence, rather than a flat description or an unranked list of factors.
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Topic 11.10 hub
Political developments in Latin America (1934–2020)
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