IBHA Castro Quiz

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Jose Marti

Jose Marti

Fought for Cuban independence from Spain, formed Cuban Revolutionary Party.

Platt Amendment

Allowed US to set up naval base in Cuba & intervene in Cuban political and economic affairs, restricted Cuba's future foreign policies & treaty-making. Extension of Monroe doctrine, neo-colonial restriction of Cuban freedom.

Teller Amendment

Placed conditions/restrictions over US invovement/control in Cuba. US could help Cuba gain independence, but it would have to withdraw afterwards.

Moncada Barracks

Military garrison, attacked by Castro & his troops in 1953. This was the first armed attack of the Cuban Revolution, but it failed and put Castro on trial.

July 26, 1953

Movement named after the day of Castro's attack on Moncada.

History will absolve me

Famous line from Castro's speech during his 1953 trial.

Five revolutionary laws

Castro's ideals from his 1953 speech. If his Moncada barracks attack had succeeded, he would have announced these ideals over the radio: return power to the people with the Constitution, grant property to everyone (LAND REFORM = SOCIALIST), give employees a right to profits, grant planters the right to share 55% of sugar production, confiscate unfair holdings from those who had previously committed fraud.

Guatemala (1954)

After Arbenz's land reform caused the United Fruit Company to lose land, US thought he was bringing international communism into the Western Hemisphere so the CIA ran a coup d'etat to overthrow him. Elected Castillo Armas as president of resulting junta. Che Guevara witnessed this, and it inspired his distrust for the US.

Jacobo Arbenz

President of Guatemala, started land reform but overthrown by US for being too communist after it impacted the United Fruit Company.

CTC

Trade group. Originally Communist, but became anti-communist. Communists led by Lazaro Pena until 1946. In 1947, Eusebio Mujal led them to suppress strikes, organize pro-government rallies, and repress labor dissidents in exchange for government support.

Ernesto Che Guevara

Argentinian guerilla leader who joined Castro to overthrow Batista.

Fidelistas

Castro's supporters in the Cuban Revolution (July 26th movement).

Frank Pais

Cuban revolutionary who really hated Batista. Leader of July 26th movement against Batista, created organizations to distribute propoganda against Batista.

Fulgencia Batista

President of Cuba from 1940-44. Authoritarian dictator from 1952-59, backed by US. Overthrown by Castro during Cuban Revolution.

Granma

Name of the yacht that carried 82 Cuban revolutionaries from Mexico to Cuba in 1956 (which was very unsuccessful, because they thought the natives would join in, but they didn't), and also the offical newspaper of PCC. And also an old woman.

Herbert Matthews

New York Times reporter who revealed that Castro was still alive and living in the Sierra Maestra mountains! (Batista said Castro died after the Granma Landing)

Jose Echeverria

Student activist in Havana. Founded the Directorio Revolucionario Estudantil to eliminate corruption in government. Killed in the streets after a failed assassination attempt on Bastista.

Los Barbudos

Nickname for Cuban revolutionaries.

Mexico

Spied on Cuba for US but also supported Castro in Havana.

Oriente Province

Province in eastern Cuba. Birthplace of Fidel & Raul Castro, contains Santiago, produced sugar and coffee. American investors bought land and caused racial problems, causing José Martí to call for a multiracial republic.

Autentico Party

Political party in Cuba, strong from 1933-1952. Right wing, conservative, pre-Batista. AKA Cuban Revolutionary Party.

Ortodoxo Party

Political party in Cuba, est. in 1947 to end corruption in government. Left wing, Castro's party. AKA Party of the Cuban People

PSP

Political party in Cuba, est. in 1925. Originally called Communist Party of Cuba. Originally didn't support Castro because of the Moncada barracks raid, but ended up merging with Castro's 26th of July Movement and Directorio Revolucionario.

Raul Castro

Fidel Castro's brother. Succeeded Fidel Castro as President of Cuba.

Havana (January 1959)

Castro & his revolutionaries took over government, Batista fled to Dominican Republic. End of Batista's regime, start of Castro's regime.

Sierra Maestra

Mountain range in SE Cuba. After failed Granma Landing attack, Castra & fidelistas fled and lived there until Herbert Matthews found them.

Directorio Revolucionario Estudiantil (DRE)

Group founded by José Echeverría. Opposed Batista in 1950s, moved to US and worked with CIA in 1960s against Castro.

Proclamation against discrimination

Castro's speech in 1959 against racial discrimination. Cuban government repealed laws that allowed discrimination.

First Declaration of Havana

Castro's speech in 1960 against US imperialism in Latin American countries. Says that Cuba will try to be friends with everyone by establihing diplomatic relations with all socialist countries.

Agrarian Reform Act

One of the first revolutionary policies passed by Castro's government. Called for profit sharing among farmers, division of unused lands, nationalization of ½ country's land in just 1 year.

Autarchy

Absolute, unlimited power. Castro pursued this path with a self-sufficient economy so Cuba could be independent from foreign pressure (especially from the US).

Bay of Pigs

CIA tried (and failed) to overthrow Castro. President J. F. Kennedy thought that removing Castro would send a message to the USSR, China, and other communist powers. Instead, led to an increase in nationalism and support for Castro in Cuba.

Cuban Missle Crisis

13-day confrontation between US and USSR in 1962 over the installation of Soviet nuclear missles in Cuba. Kennedy enacted a naval blockade, and Khrushchev eventually agreed to remove the missles if the US promised not to invade Cuba.

INRA

Cuban government agency to administer agrarian land reform laws.

John F. Kennedy

US President from 1961-63, during Bay of Pigs & Cuban Missle Crisis.

Fatherland or death

Fidel Castro's motto.

Literacy Campaign

Very successful campaign in 1961 to teach reading and writing in Cuba. Included women in the countryside.

New Man

Term used by Che Guevara to describe new Cuban national identity during Cuban Revolution.

Manuel Urrutia

Elected president of Cuba after Batista was overthrown. Resigned because of disputes with Castro. Moved to US.

NAM

Formed during Cold War as a group of independent/neutral states, including Cuba, that did not want to align themselves with either the US or the USSR.

Nationalization

To take private property and make it public. Cuba did this with its agrarian reform laws, taking land from American companies and redistributing it to the Cuban people.

Nikita Khrushchev

USSR leader during Cold War & Cuban Missle Crisis.

OAS

Cuba was a founding member of this group, but it was also suspended from 1962-2009 because of disputes with the US.

Operation Mongoose

Plan for the CIA to assassinate Fidel Castro. AKA the Cuban Project

PCC

Communist party of Cuba. Changed its name to the Popular Socialist Party in 1944. Current ruling party.

Richard Nixon

US President from 1969-1974. Supported Kennedy in Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missle Crisis, continued covert operations against Castro during his own presidency.

Sugar Quota

Restriction by US on Cuban sugar as retaliation for Castro's 1959 Land Reform Act. Hurt Cuban economy, which was dependent on the sugar industry. Castro responded by nationalizing US sugar mills, banks, etc. so US introduced sanctions to all Cuban exports.

Ten Million Tons

Castro's (mostly unsuccessful) plan to produce a ton of sugar.

Revolucionary Offensive

Elimination of capitalism in Cuba in 1968. Nationalized private enterprises.

US Trade Emgargo

In 1960, US placed on Cuban exports (except food and medicine) after Castro nationalized American-owned Cuban oil refineries without compensation. US wanted to maintain sanctions until Cuba became more democratic.

Vilma Espin

Cuban revolutionary, women's right activiest. Married Raúl Castro (first lady of Cuba), held key positions in Cuban Communist Party, member of Council of State, represented Cuba at UN General Assembly. Founded Cuban Federation of Women.

Federation of Cuban Women (FMC)

Created in 1960 to fight for women's rights in the economy and the workforce. Held congresses in 1974 & 1980. Castro initiated affirmative action to increase number of women in PCC, Popular Power, Communist Youth, & CTC. This group successfully increased women's share of the labor force and reduced male-reserved job categories. Cuban women still faced discrimination in managerial positions.

Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR)

Cuban mass organization with units in urban and rural areas. "Neighborhood watch" that acted as eyes and ears for Castro's regime. Aimed to prevent counter-revolutionary activities and monitor neighborhood developments, while encouraging citizens to attend government rallies/events.

Polyclinics

Easy access to healthcare, especially for childbirth. Run by nurses. Usually independent of hospitals.

JUCEPLAN

Central economic planning policy. Created in 1960, modeled after E. European governments, turned private enterprises into public ones.

National Institute of Housing

Organization for Cubans to build and own homes. Part of 1984 & 1988 housing laws.

Anastasio Somoza

President of Nicaragua. Supported by US. VERY anti-communist, opposed Cuban-backed Sandinistas.

Angola

Cuba ordered troops into this country to aid its struggle for independence.

COMECON

Communist economic organization run by USSR. Mainly E. European countries, with some other communist states. Cuba joined in 1972.

Jimmy Carter

US president during Mariel Boat Lift. Tried to improve relations with Cuba, opened embassies in Havana & Washington D.C.

Leonid Brezhnev

USSR leader from 1964-82. Rose to power after Cuban Missle Crisis.

Mariel Boat Lift (1980)

Mass emmigration of 125,000 Cubans (mainly criminals, mentally ill, poor) in 1980. Likely caused by job and housing shortages in Cuba. Created problems for US President Carter, who didn't know what to do about all of the immigrants.

Mikhail Gorbachev

USSR leader. Signed friendship treaty with Cuba, worked with Reagan to end the Cold War.

Mini-brigade

System to meet housing demands. 35 workers in each one, built a lot of houses.

OPEC

Organization created in 1960 to control global oil industry and prevent price raises. This was important because there was a trade deal between Cuba and the USSR: Cuba bought cheap oil from the USSR, and the USSR bought expensive sugar from Cuba.

Prague Spring

Short period of liberalization in Czhechoslovakia, independence from USSR after WWII. USSR invaded, Castro publicly denounced the Czech rebellion.

Rectification Campaign

1986 campaign by Cuban government. Aimed to increase participation in economics/politics, followed Che Guevara's ideology of encouraging political consciousness. Also tried to modernize and eliminate private businesses.

Ronald Reagan

US president. Very hostile towards Cuba. Tightened trade embargo, prevented citizens from travelling there.

Sandinistas

Democratic socialist party. Nicaraguan leftists who undermined Somoza dictatorship with Cuban support in 1979.

Special Period

Economic crisis in Cuba in the 1990s. Stemmed from collapse of USSR (and the resulting loss of imports/exports, especially oil).

Three successes of the revolution

Education, healthcare, housing.

Three failures of the revolution

Breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Somoza

Dynasty of dictatos in Nicaragua from 1936-79. There were plans to assassinate one of the rulers, which were possibly associated with Castro. Overthrown by Sandanistas.

Nicaragua

Country where Somoza dictatorship ruled until the Sandanistas overthrew them with Castro's support.

Trujillo

Dictator of Domincan Republic. Hated Castro. Assassinated in 1961.

Dominican Republic

Castro attacked this country to help overthrow its dictator. Led by Trujillo from 1930-61. US feared another communist dictatorship, like that of Cuba.

Allende

President of Chile from 1970-73. First socialist president. Established relations with Castro.

Chile

Castro visited this country for a month and gave advice about communism to its leader, Allende.

14 families

Oligarchy that ruled El Salvador in the 19th and 20th centuries.

El Salvador

Ruled by 14 families. Cuba supported its leftist movements (supplied weapons & advisors) and tried to help overthrow the 14 families.

Lumumba

Prime Minister of Congo. Had ties with USSR. Cuba supported him. US planned his death.

Congo

Che Guevara went to this country to train Marxist rebels. Led by Lumumba.

MPLA

Political party ruling in Angola since 1975. Castro supported this group against UNITA during their civil war.

UNITA

Political party in Angola. US supported them in their civil war against MPLA.

Angola

Castro aided the MPLA against UNITA in this country.

Bolivia

President Hernan Siles Zuazo and Castro were friends, but Che Guevara was captured and executed by this country's government & the CIA during a Communist insurgency with the National Liberation Army.

Nelson Mandela and South Africa

Castro supported this leader + country in anti-apartheid movements.

Namibia

Cuba supported this country during its war for independence. After gaining independence in 1990, this country has joint meetings with Cuba and supports Cuban policies.

PLO

Organization to free Palestine through an armed struggle. Cuba gave them military/political support.

Gamel Abdel Nasser

Leader of Egypt in 1952. Supported by Castro. Cooperated with Castro and Guevara during Congo operations.