Assess the reasons why the USA reacted strongly to Castro(TM)s revolution in Cuba.

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Assess the reasons why the USA reacted strongly to Castro’s revolution in Cuba.

When Fidel Castro replaced the pro-American Fulgencio Batista as leader of Cuba in 1959, many Americans were alarmed.  A revolutionary movement had displaced a loyal dictator only 80 miles from the US mainland.  Although many American business interests were threatened by Castro’s promises to rule Cuba for Cuban interests rather than American one, there was no indicator at this stage that Cuba would become the source of superpower rivalry which threatened the World with nuclear war.

The sheer proximity of Cuba to the USA was a crucial factor in American concern about the direction taken by Castro.  There was a fear that Cuba would become a model of anti-American authority in the Western Hemisphere and the lessons learned in Havana would be copied throughout Central and South America.  The 1825 Monroe Doctrine stated that no part of the Americas should fall under foreign domination, America’s greatest fear was that Cuba could provide a platform for communism and Soviet influence on their own doorstep.  In the cold realities of superpower rivalry, having a pro-Soviet regime so close to the USA was a humiliation, especially as the US public felt they were losing ground to the USSR in the Cold War throughout the 1950s.  American prestige was at stake.

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Castro did not come to power intent on seeking economic and military assistance from the Soviet Union.  His early statements and policies did not betray that he was a communism waiting to out himself.  In many respects American reactions to Castro forced him closer to the Soviets and into declaring Cuba a communist state.  Castro’s economic policies sought to take away American business interests through nationalisation, well established American companies complained bitterly to the US government to safeguard their interests, Castro claimed to be acting in the interests of the Cuban people.  The US started a trade embargo in ...

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