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Cuban Revolution

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During the 50 year Cold War period, the U.S. was heavily involved in the fight against communism. It's primary goal was not to abolish communism, but to adhere to a policy of containment, which would diminish its influence on the world and reject its spread to the Western world. However, the Soviet Union had an opposing ideal that would come into conflict with the U.S. The two nations would engage in heated conflicted that nearly led to a Third World War. In 1961 the U.S. planned in invasion on Cuba, which was heavily influenced by communist dictator Fidel Castro, in hopes to stir an uprising against the dictator and to gain support for democracy. However, due to excessive media coverage of the "covert" plan, Castro was ready and responded quickly with a 20,000 man army, defeating the U.S. and forcing President John F. Kennedy (JFK) to withdraw American forces. The biggest setback of the invasion was the lack of support from the Cuban citizens. The U.S. had hoped, and quite frankly counted on, the uttermost support of Cuban rebels. When they did receive this support, their clumsy forces began to crumble as Cuban forces began to counterattack and push American forces back. Without garnishing Cuban rebels, the U.S. stood no chance of defeating a Cuban army. The second major fault in the plan was the openness of the operation. The media had been tackling story after story, uncovering truths that the government was trying desperately to conceal. After American forces in Nicaragua had spoken openly about their approaching mission, and after Cuban spies heard news of the attack, Castro immediately prepared a defensive and reached victory for communism and Cuba. Just a year later, the U.S. engaged in a thirteen day long conflict w... ... middle of paper ... ...owing out of the fear of increased Soviet and Cuban impact in Latin America, the 1961-1969 Alliance was, in essence, a variation of the Marshall Plan for Latin America. The United States vowed $20 billion in support (primarily grants and loans) and called upon the Latin American governments to deliver $80 billion in investment reserves for their own economies. It was the largest U.S. aid program toward the developing world up to that point—and called for considerable reform of Latin American establishments. A key component of the Alliance was U.S. military support to friendly regimes in the region. The Alliance did not accomplish all its supercilious goals. According to one study, only 2 percent of economic growth in 1960s Latin America directly benefited the poor; and there was a general corrosion of United States-Latin American relations by the end of the 1960s.
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