Che Guevara and the Revolution

Hasta siempre, Commandante Che Guevara!

I think it's very unfortunate for Cuba that it occurred.  I also think it's inexcusable that America let a hostile government form 90 miles from our shores.  What type of idiot lets that happen!?

I think many people who wear che t-shirts don't even know who he is.

Originally posted by Mixcoatl I think many people who wear che t-shirts don't even know who he is.

I totally agree with you. These people cannot realize Che's mentality, just his image...

Originally posted by Oguzoglu Originally posted by Mixcoatl I think many people who wear che t-shirts don't even know who he is. I totally agree with you. These people cannot realize Che's mentality, just his image...

That's not really want I meant. I think people who wear those t-shirts really don't know who he is. I think don't know that he kicked out Batista and installed Castro, that he was a guerillaleader or even that he's called Che Guevara.

Jim, Cuba was not hostile at first glance towards the US. Even Einsenhower sent the official recognition to Castro.

Problem started when the casinos and the properties of the exiled cubans were confiscated. The US pushed to the Cubans and they polarized their position by accepting the soviet protection.

Originally posted by Jalisco Lancer Jim, Cuba was not hostile at first glance towards the US. Even Einsenhower sent the official recognition to Castro. Problem started when the casinos and the properties of the exiled cubans were confiscated. The US pushed to the Cubans and they polarized their position by accepting the soviet protection.

Oh I know all about this, this was a topic of study in my history class this year.  If I were Eisenhower I would have tried to deal with him at first, but before the ink was dry on the first deal between Cuba and the USSR, Marines would have been in downtown Havana. 

NO PASARAN

Genghis,

Was he? I was not aware of that. I guess I will have to research it.

What I do know is that niether Castro or Che were communist during the revolution. They only became communists after being rejected by the U.S.

If Castro were receiving Soviet help, I find it difficult to see why didn't he declare a socialist country immediately after he became the head of state. This was the case with other countries that received support from communist countries. Nicaragua comes to mind.

His trip to the U.S. also doesn't make too much sense. In the footage that I have seen of his trip to the U.S., Castro looks a bit desperate to gain the support of the U.S. government and its peolpe.

Besides, as much as we would like, we cannot use war at the least provacation. It is expensive, it costs lives, the outcome is not known. War works much better as a threat than as a reality.

Invading Cuba after the fall of Batista would not had made too much sense. The revolutionary leadership was nothing more but about a dozen of amateurs running around with guns who were supported by the masses, who are incredibly fickled.

The rational outcome was that the members of the Batista regime would organize a counter-revolution, a coup d'etat, or something else to protect their interest. Instead, the courage elite hop on planes to start their lives in Maimi. Even at this point it would make sense that they would train, jump on a boat, and destroy the Castro government by repeating their strategy.

This never happened. The few courage enough to do so were killed or captured during Bay of Pigs.

The U.S. miscalculated many things, mainly Cuban expatriates, Cuba support for Castro, and Castro's skill to hold onto power.

If Eisenhower had met with Castro and backed him, Cuba would still be a favorite American resort to this day. Not backing Castro from the beginning was the big mistake.

Originally posted by hugoestr Genghis, Was he? I was not aware of that. I guess I will have to research it. What I do know is that niether Castro or Che were communist during the revolution. They only became communists after being rejected by the U.S. If Castro were receiving Soviet help, I find it difficult to see why didn't he declare a socialist country immediately after he became the head of state. This was the case with other countries that received support from communist countries. Nicaragua comes to mind. His trip to the U.S. also doesn't make too much sense. In the footage that I have seen of his trip to the U.S., Castro looks a bit desperate to gain the support of the U.S. government and its peolpe. Besides, as much as we would like, we cannot use war at the least provacation. It is expensive, it costs lives, the outcome is not known. War works much better as a threat than as a reality. Invading Cuba after the fall of Batista would not had made too much sense. The revolutionary leadership was nothing more but about a dozen of amateurs running around with guns who were supported by the masses, who are incredibly fickled. The rational outcome was that the members of the Batista regime would organize a counter-revolution, a coup d'etat, or something else to protect their interest. Instead, the courage elite hop on planes to start their lives in Maimi. Even at this point it would make sense that they would train, jump on a boat, and destroy the Castro government by repeating their strategy. This never happened. The few courage enough to do so were killed or captured during Bay of Pigs. The U.S. miscalculated many things, mainly Cuban expatriates, Cuba support for Castro, and Castro's skill to hold onto power. If Eisenhower had met with Castro and backed him, Cuba would still be a favorite American resort to this day. Not backing Castro from the beginning was the big mistake.

The injection of Soviet influence into the Caribbean is not "the least provocation".  And furthermore, America has been intervening in the Caribean since the time of Teddy Roosevelt.  We could have done once we saw what a threat he had become, Eisenhower's backing or not.