Blog 9: Cuban Revolution Misconceptions

1.4 million people live on the island of Cuba, yet many Americans know little to nothing about Cuban history and their Revolution. Prior to 1959 Cuba, U.S. political, military, and economic influence dominated the island. Between a complete U.S. military takeover of the island in 1898-1902 to the Platt Amendment left after U.S. forces withdrew (which gave the U.S. control of Cuban foreign and economic policies), Cuba remained hostage to the United States national interests leading up to Cuban Revolution. Fear, oppression, and violence are three main ideas that Americans associate with Cuba and their Revolution, however, in reality, these are simply not true. Anti-Communist and Capitalist discourse taught in the U.S public school system fosters several misconceptions regarding the Cuban Revolution. There are two misconceptions that I would like to address: 1. The belief that Cubans fled for their lives to escape an oppressive government, 2. Cuba installed missiles to take an offensive role towards the United States

Although some Cubans fled the country to Miami, a majority of those who did were high-class Cubans who felt their wealth would be threatened by the Revolution. The formerly privileged classes, who often had high levels of educations, skills, and business contacts, decided to flee the country as they felt their privileges disappearing in the Revolution.The luxurious lifestyle, including private schools, maids, and fancy restaurants, would no longer be available under the new equal society. A majority of Cubans supported the revolution and the vision of equality that it stood for. Cubans were not fleeing the country for their life, as the United States likes to perceive a large number of emigrants that entered Miami, but because their wealth and luxurious lifestyles threatened by the redistribution of the country’s wealth and resources.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was less of U.S. national security threat and rather a defensive tool against future U.S. aggression. From the U.S perspective, the installation of Soviet missiles on Cuban soil was a threat to U.S. safety and to the balance of power. From the Cuban perspective, the missiles were a defensive, not offensive, a method to protect the nation against another U.S. invasion (Bay of Pigs) and to uphold Cuban sovereignty.The Cuban fear of another U.S. invasion was legitimate, as plans for another invasion were in the works.The Cuban Missile Crisis is seen to be one of the best-managed foreign policy crisis in history; however, the Soviets agreed to withdraw the missiles, not because of Kennedy, but because of the United States agreed to Soviet demands (relinquish plans to invade Cuba and remove the U.S. missiles in Turkey). The Soviet decision to withdraw the missiles was made without Cuba—which made Cubans feel as their sovereignty were, once again, hostage to great power politics.