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A brief note on cuba's road to independence
A brief note on cuba's road to independence
A brief note on cuba's road to independence
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Many years ago, on May 11, 1895, a poet and revolutionary called José Martí born in Habana Cuba in January 28, 1853, fight for Cuba independence. He showed a talent for writing and revolutionary politics at an early age. Marti spent much of his life time abroad , but in 1895 he return to Cuba to fight for the independence."The ideas of Martí about human relations, whether in the social or the international panorama, are grounded in ethical principles of social and economic justice, of equality and respect for all" Marti was born into a Spanish family with few financial resorces, at the age of twelve José Martí began studying at the local college who ran the poet Rafael María de Mendive, who noticed the boy's intellectual qualities and decided to devote himself personally their education. He became interested by the revolutionary ideas of many Cubans. At the age of 16 he supported efforts to cut ties with Spain . This conflict between Cuban nationalist and Spain loyal nationalist become known as the Ten Year's War. He write a newspaper named ,La Patria Libre, and also a poem called" ...
On July 26, 1953, the war for Cuba’s independence began, and for 6 years many Cubans fought for their freedom. The most famous of these revolutionary icons being Fidel Castro, who led the main resistance against the Cuban government. On January 1, 1959, Fidel Castro and the rest of the Cuban's succeeded. This revolutionary war went on to affect the entire world and Eric Selbin believes it is still affecting it. Throughout Eric Selbin's article, Conjugating the Cuban Revolution, he firmly states that the Cuban revolution is important in the past, present, and future. Selbin, however, is wrong.
The nineteenth century introduced several great leaders into this world, many recognized by historians today. These men, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and others, have all been honored and commemorated for their contributions. One such leader, José Martí, continues to remain anonymous outside the Hispanic community, and hidden in the shadows cast by these men. His name does not appear in the history books or on the tongues of many proud Americans, for he was neither a citizen of America nor an American hero.
Louis “Louie” Zamperini went from the Terror of Torrance to a World War II hero. He grew from a young boy, who terrorized his town, into a record breaking runner, who competed in the Olympics. He later joined the United States Army Air Forces and served as a bombardier in World War II. After his plane crashed and he was stuck on a raft in the ocean, he was captured by the Japanese and became a prisoner of war. Louie’s resourcefulness, toughness, and defiance from his boyhood helped him to survive the relentless torment thrown at him later in life.
For four hundred years Spain ruled over an immense and profitable global empire that included islands in the Caribbean, Americas, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. After the Napoleonic Wars (1808-1815) many of Spain’s colonies followed the US’s lead, fighting and winning their independence. These revolts, coupled with other nations chipping away at Spain’s interests, dwindled Spain’s former Empire. By 1860, only Cuba and Puerto Rico were what remained of Spain’s former Empire. Following the lead of other former Spanish colonies, Cuban fighters started their campaign for independence, known as the Ten year war (1868-1878). This war developed into a Cuban insurgency which fought a guerilla war against the Spanish occupation.2
In the latter half of the nineteenth century, tensions in Cuba were rapidly rising. The Cuban Ten Year’s War from 1868 to 1878 had sparked a fire for independence from Spain with the natives. In 1892, José Julián Martí y Pérez formed El Partido Revolucionario Cubano, or the Cuban Revolutionary party. The Cuban independence movement known as Ejército Libertador de Cuba began in February of 1895 with the motto, “Independencio o Muerte” (Independence or Death). Multiple minor battles between Cuba and Spain took place that year. (Library of Congress)
Long before our involvement, the Cubans had been leading revolts and revolutions against Spain. The Spanish empire considered Cuba to be its jewel, not only for its beauty but also for its economics. Cuba’s main source of income was from its expansive sugar plantations that greatly contributed to its wealth (more so to the Spanish Empires wealth). Ironically, even due to the high regard to Cuba, it was neglected and oppressed, as the Spanish Empire began its decline in the middle of the nineteenth century. The Empire was falling due to it slowly loosing its control over its territories, closer to the US then to Spain, because of a lack of industrializing. The Spanish would claim ownership, but never contribute back to their land. This opened the door for what is known as the 10-year war and the struggle for Cuban Independence. The United States never got directly involved, but it sympathized greatly with the Cuban’s cause, for ...
“What light is to the eyes - what air is to the lungs - what love is to the heart, freedom is to the soul of man” (Brainy Quotes). Light is essential to the eyes, love is what makes the heart beat, and freedom is the hope of man kind; all of which are essential to the happiness of humanity. Having to live without these rights is a difficult way of living. For example, Cubans have suffered time after time in pursuit of their freedom, but sadly they never accomplish their goal. They live in fear of their broken government, but never stop fighting for freedom. In the early 20th century, Cuba was a democracy. From 1940 to 1944 Fulgencio Batista, a Cuban politician, was Cuba’s president. In 1952 he decided to run again, but when it was apparent he’d lose, Batista seized power before the election took place. The citizens were outraged causing them to turn against their flawed democracy that was brought upon by the election. As a result, Fidel Castro, a communist revolutionary political man, began to plot Batista’s downfall. The Cuban Revolution, also known as Castro’s Revolution, began on July 26, 1952, and ended January, 1, 1959. After Batista, Cuba’s former president, fled the country, Castro took complete control and turned Cuba into a communist country. The Revolution brought upon: many deaths, censored news and publicity, and no freedom of speech. Throughout the years Castro stayed in power, but due to health issues originating on July 31, 2006, he had to step down. After Castro returned, he took control of Cuba up until February 19, 2008. He then abdicated his place as dictator and handed down his position to his brother, Raul Castro.
He begins his book with his short story, The Boy without a Flag. This story is really touching, especially for very patriotic people that live in the United States, but that come from other parts of the World, in this case Puerto Rico. In this story the reader can see exactly how, many Puerto Ricans feel when living on other grounds. Throughout time the boy that Rodriguez presents us realizes he has his culture and that he wants to preserve it as much as he can. “Because I’m Puerto Rican. I ain’t no American. And I’m not no Yankee flag-waver” (Rodriguez 18). All of this starts when he begins reading books about his culture and important figures like, Pedro Albizu Campos, this makes his culture feeling increase, not wanting to follow the American standards.
Juan’s military career started at age 16. Juan went on to study at the National Military Academy. He graduated in 1915 as a second lieutenant. His military career was now off and running. It is not really known why he decided to join the military. Some think it was because he needed discipline in his life, while others think it was to help him in gaining power. The early parts of his military career were ordinary.
He grew up in a very small house with a dirt floor, and food was scarce with his mother trading things on the black market in exchange for food to support their large family. Growing up in these grim conditions made his childhood tough, but things changed for the better when Zamora's family moved to Hialeah, a suburb of Miami, Florida (Mills). When Zamora was 8 years old, his family, a whopping ten people, attempted to leave Cuba together for the United States. They left Cuba during the Mariel Boat Lift, which was a mass movement of Cubans who departed from Mariel Harbor trying to get to the United States in 1980. Although his family tried to stay together, government officials informed them that the four older siblings were too close to the draft age and were not going to be allowed to the United States with the rest of their family.
Jose Marti’s was extremely important to the development and freedom of what is now modern day Cuba. In Cuba, many citizens have a strong sense of nationalism. Jose Marti had a strong impact on Nationalism in Cuban society. He states “If the republic does not open its arms to everyone and move forward for the benefit of everyone, the republic will die” (Krauze 17).
The specter of colonial repression, imposed by the institutions of slavery and the plantation system, has incessantly haunted Cuban society, culture, politics, and ideology. The legacies of slavery and the plantation system imposed a structural and systematic practice of racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans, which suppressed any ambition for the pursuit of liberty and equality. Despite Cuba’s abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained destitute, marginalized, and in the periphery of political autonomy within Cuban society. Thus, the origins of Cuba’s disdainful race relations emerge during the Spanish colonial tenure in Cuba.
When we think about society, there is often a stark contrast between the controversy projected in the media that our society faces, and the mellow, safe view we have of our own smaller, more tangible, ‘local’ society. This leads us to believe that our way of life is protected, and our rights secured by that concept of society that has been fabricated and built upon. However, what if society were not what we perceive it to be, and the government chose to exercise its power in an oppressive manner? As a society we would like to think that we are above such cruelty, yet as The Lonely Crossing of Juan Cabrera by J. Joaquin Fraxedas recounts the state of Cuba in the 1990’s, we must also remember that all societies and governments view the individual differently as opposed to the whole. Each group has unique expectations that are enforced upon the individual which extend beyond those expectations that are written. What this book brings to light is the extraordinary repercussions of refusing to meet the demands and expectations of those that lead our governments. When we veer from the path well-trodden and into the ‘wild’ as Juan did, we may not face death quite as often, but the possibility of those we once called our own, persecuting us for our choices is a true and often an incredibly frightening danger.
The Cuban revolution was one that transformed Cuba into an independent socialist society. This revolution sent a message around the globe. The message: “ Socialism can be achieved and capitalism, with its culture stripping mechanism’s can be supplemented”. However, the revolution did leave its mark on Cuba. This can be seen in the events that took place during the early stages of the revolution. The effects of the revolution were positive for certain sections of the population and negative for others.
Despite his mischievous conduct, he was a self-disciplined student and had a great deal of Spanish pride which he learned from his teachers as well as his priest (Source F). Political uprising was a well accepted idea of Castro’s, on July 26, 1953 he formed the twenty-sixth of July movement and led one hundred and sixty revolutionaries on a “suicidal“ attack on the Moncada Military Barracks to spark popular uprise (source F &D). Many factors led to the rise of Castro’s power, but finally after popular up-rises and other communistic approaches like the overthrowing the military dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, led to him being sworn in as Cuba’s prime minister and took power in the winter of 1958 (source A & F).