Fidel Castro Essay

The U.S. was not justified in invading Cuba through the Bay of Pigs Invasion in April 1961, because it conflicted with the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. Fidel Castro rose to power through guerilla warfare and Americans hated him because of his perceived communist leanings. Americans were concerned with the Russians aiding the Cubans during the Cold War. As Fidel Castro led Cuba, he instituted a socialistic government that drastically changed Cuba from when the dictator Batista was in office. Castro visited the USA three times during the late 1940’s up to the early 1960’s. The first visit, in 1949, was to New York City on his honeymoon where he studied English and bought a Lincoln car. His second visit, in 1959, after he defeated Batista was public relations tour under the guise of being asked to speak to the American Newspaper Editors conference in New York City. Before the trip he conferred with a public relations firm for how to polish his image. He continually said he was not a communist, “Never was and never will be.” ( page 16, Jim Rasenberger} He ran into the crowds of thousand admiring fans, and developed a love affair with the American people. His third trip, 1960, cast a black shadow over his friendship with the USA, with a venomous United Nations speech coordinated with Soviet premier, Nikita Krushchev. Castro and Cuba was considered the nearest threat to the economic interests of the USA, only 90 miles off shore. The CIA under President Dwight D. Eisenhower began planning an elaborate invasion plan. The CIA plan was supposed to be covert and fool proof, but the battle plans were leaked to Castro who knew about the invasion site and the Guatemala training site of the ‘Brigade’ Cuban exiles. On April 17, 196...

... middle of paper ...

...d protected America and other Latin America countries through his diplomacy.

The Bay of Pigs invasion was both a political and military failure planned over two presidential terms. It was based on fear of the Cold War’s spread of communism and a power play by both United States and Russia. The Bay of Pigs invasion was a cruel demonstration of American imperialism using innocent Cuban exiles whom desperately wanted their country back. It cost the United States over 53 million dollars and the lives of Americans and exiled Cuban-American citizens in the invasion Brigade. An insightful quote from President Kennedy was: “How could I have been so stupid…?” (7,Wyden) The Bay of Pigs showed the world that the U.S. would lie about covert operations and invade sovereign nations for U.S benefits. Presently the U.S continues to interfere in other international sovereign states.