Unit III: Cuba from 'Independence' to Batista (3/4)

Corresponding text in the book is found on p225-232 of Brief History of the Caribbean.

At independence, Cubans had highest standard of living in Caribbean
Government was viewed with contempt
New Constitution leads to formation of 2 parties; powerful President; politics of personality not principle
Corruption in government and fraud in elections become hallmarks of Cuban politics

Havana - 1902

Tomas Estrada Palma - President 1902-1906
Effective administration
Liberal revolt against Estrada in 1906; appeals to Roosevelt; TR send Taft to negotiate peace
Estrada resigns in protest

Sept 1906-Dec 1908 - Charles Magoon appointed to supervise govt affairs; US occupation

Jan 1909 - Liberal who led revolt, Jose Miguel Gomez, wins election
Cuba prosperous; Gomez plunders treasury

1913 - Mario Garcia Menocal wins Presidency
Sugar profits skyrocket due to WWI; Menocal extremely corrupt, to the tune of $40mil

Havana - 1915

1916 - disputed election; fraud; threats of revolt from eastern provinces
1917 - Menocal takes office; US sends 2600 troops to maintain order (stayed until 1923)
Menocal becomes quasi-dictator
1920 - sugar market collapses; economic and social volatility
Jan 1921 - US sends Gen Crowder to Havana to regain order and 'good governance'
1921 - 1925 - Zayas Presidency continues graft and corruption; people lose respect for republican govt

Travel brochure - 1925

1926-1933 - Machado dictatorship
Tries to impose one-party state; imposes sugar production quotas; public works projects
Supresses labor strikes and communist party in Cuba

Machado on cover of Time

Great Depression creates many problems; includes failing banks, imposition of protective tariffs in US
Most vocal opposition comes from university activists (students and professors)
1930 - Machado closed university; ABC terror group formed; beginning of mass bloodshed
1933 - FDR sends Sumner Welles as ambassador to Havana

Aug 1933 - Machado flees to Bahamas , escaping ABC gunfire
US names replacement President; no support

Sept 1933 - Fulgencio Batista, w/ military support, takes over Presidency; FDR refuses to intervene
Batista begins to install puppet Presidents while he maintains loyalty of soldiers and university students

Fulgencio Batista

May 1934 - US annuls Platt Amendment; maintains Guantanamo naval base
Aug 1934 - US renegotiates sugar quotas from Cuba
Batista reforms were typical of leftist-military socialist inspired movements in Latin America at the time
1940 - new Constitution created; democratic and socialist; calls for presidential elections
Batista wins 40% of vote
Rides economic boom due to WWII

1944 - Grau surprisingly wins Presidential election over Batista's chosen candidate

Massive corruption, graft; growth of private armies and armed radicals at University of Havana
1948 - Dr Carlos Prio Socarras wins Presidency; promises to clean up govt; same results

Havana - circa 1950

March 1951 - Batista announces plan to run for Presidency in 1952; overthrows Prio on March 10

Batista during his 2nd 'Presidency'

Stabilizes economy; encourages foreign investment; close ties to US; alienated communists
July 26, 1953 - attempted revolt against Batista begins at Moncado army barracks near Santiago; attack led by 26 year old lawyer from Havana, Fidel Castro Ruz