Cuban Revolution Paper on Fidel Castro and Che Guevara

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Many ethnic minorities have made history with strategic thinking during war. Two such men who did this were Fidel Castro and Ernesto “Che” Guevara during the Cuban Revolution. Though the ideological beliefs of the two men are still subject to fiery debate of morals in today’s world, it is certain that what they did in this time of conflict was extraordinary. The Cuban Revolution was a true reflection of modern day guerilla warfare. Fidel and Che both believed that the only way to change the system was by armed conflict. It was Fidel Castro who exclaimed “A revolution is a struggle to the death between the future and the past.” If the revolution was a good thing or bad thing is subject to debate, but there is no question that it completely altered the future of Cuba. It is hard to exactly trace the beginning of the Cuban Revolution. Usually the beginning is traced back to a young lawyer named Fidel Castro the charismatic leader of the Revolution. The first time he entered the public eye after attacking the Moncada Barracks in Santiago, Cuba in July 1953. It was a failed attempt to start a strategic takeover of the Dictator-President Fulgencio Batista. Fidel Castro, his brother Raul, and other rebels who were caught were brought to trial which was made very public. In this trial Fidel Castro gave his famous “History Will Absolve Me” speech that laid out the evils of the Batista regime and the oppression of the Cuban people. It was the beginning of his campaign to get support for armed revolution from the Cuban people. Castro was found guilty and sentenced to fifteen years in prison and his brother Raul was sentenced to thirteen years. Two years later the brothers were pardoned when the Batista regime released all political prisoners in Cuba. The time spent in prison didn’t change the Castro brother’s view that armed revolution was a necessity for change in Cuba.
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