Hi, all! This is my first attempt at a TL, so please be kind. Critiques are welcomed, as long as they are not vitriolic. ^^ Anyway, this TL stemmed from some ideas that began running through my head as my dad and I discussed Cuba in the 1950s - a decade with which I am enamoured. The TL has changed a bit, but here's Part One, in all it's capitalist glory... XP BTW, the reason I skip over the description of the war(s) is because I'm terrible in describing battle scenes....
Part #1: Troubles in Paradise
From: Roll the Dice!: A History of Modern Cuba, by Lucille Grantley (Albany Press, 1997)
By the late 1950s, Cuba was already beginning to take her modern position as the “Eastern Seaboard’s Las Vegas”. However, the contrasts between tourist-populated Havana - and the landed upper class, a remnant of Spanish colonialism - and the poorer areas of Cuba were stark and commanding. It was therefore no wonder that the ugly snout of Marxism would arise within the country. [1]
The signs of discontent had always been there; however, they would not erupt into Revolution until 1958, when a group of Cuban freedom fighters, the majority of whom were Marxists, led a campaign to overthrow the government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. Indeed, Batista’s handling of Cuba was so terrible that the United States imposed an arms embargo upon the nation when Batista asked for weapons to be used against the guerillas....
By 1959, Batista’s government was finished. On the last day of 1958, Batista had handed over control of Cuba to the revolutionaries, the most important of whom was Fidel Castro, who had been the primary leader of the Cuban Revolution. Castro was a critic of American influence in Cuba, so it seemed that the pleasures of the Thirteen Colonies’ rich might be curtailed for a little while.
The first Revolutionary troops to enter Havana were led by the ideologically-opposed Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. Guevara was a devout Marxist, Argentinean-born, who would survive the ‘60 War and go on to lead attempted Revolutions in Bolivia, Venezuela, and Panama, where, in 1967, he was finally captured and executed.[2] Cienfuegos, on the other hand, was a Cuban revolutionary, a close friend of Castro, and an opponent of Marxism. [3] He would die on October 28, his plane mysteriously disappearing. Interestingly, Cienfuegos had recently resigned from his position in protest of the increasingly Marxist attitudes of Castro’s government.
On January 6, Fidel Castro arrived triumphantly in Havana, determined to rid the city - and, by extension, the country - of corruption. The next day, the United States, much to her later displeasure, recognized Castro’s government. [4] On the thirteenth, seventeen supporters of Batista were publicly executed, and one month and three days later, Castro became official Premier of Cuba.
As part of his new position, Castro began expropriating American interests in Havana - most of which were gambling houses -, thereby increasing tension with the United States. This would prove to be a foolish move, and would eventually lead to the ‘60 War.
In order to cool the tensions, and “prove” to the North Atlantic Organization [5] that he was not a Marxist in any way, shape, or form, Castro decided upon a state visit to the U.S. He flew to Washington, D.C., and requested an audience with President Eisenhower. Eisenhower, however, refused; he instead went to a golf game. This showed that Castro’s visit would not signal an American-Castro friendship, as the Cuban Premier had no doubt wished.
In delicious - or not-so-delicious - irony, Castro, after vehemently denying Marxist tendencies in New York on April 25, began putting out feelers to KGB officers in Mexico City beginning on the 27. Nikita Krushchev was alerted of these overtures, and was intrigued....
By July, over one hundred Spanish-speaking Marxists had been sent to Cuba, and the Marxist leanings of the Castroista government was well recognized. The Congress, Chiefs of Staff, and Cabinet all demanded that President Eisenhower do something about the encroachment of the Red Wave on America’s literal doorstep. The White House itself was bombarded by demands that the President do something - anything - to prevent the spread of Marxism in the area subject to the Monroe Doctrine. [6]
And so Eisenhower did. Was he not, after all, the man who had stopped the Red Tide from expanding further in northern Asia? [7] The President broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in June of 1959, when a Marxist revolution overthrew the Dominican Republic’s government. [8] In response to this, Castro tried to sign a full military pact with the Soviets. However, Krushchev refused, worried about the United States’ response to such an act. The USSR would tarry a wee while, as the saying goes, and see how events proceeded.
This would prove to be a wise choice. For, as 1960 dawned, Eisenhower, wishing to wipe the Red Menace from his hemisphere and assure a Republican victory in the election, planned for war....
Thus did the ‘60 War begin, on March 1, 1960, when a flight of planes flew over Havana, dropping bombs as they went. Castro ordered the armed forces out of barracks and into the fray; however, it was too late. The Castroista government had never suspected that the American capitalist government, which they deemed a “paper tiger”, could be so bold.
American Marines landed at Havana, and quickly took the city, which Castro had abandoned when the bombs began falling. The rest of Cuba would be harder to take, but the American forces were prepared to fight...
By late May, most of Cuba was under American control, and Fidel Castro captured. He was imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for life. Soon after the ‘60 War ended, the Rebuilding of Cuba began, with money rolling in, particularly from the famous couple Lucille and Desi Arnaz, who appeared in Cuba for the final episode of their TV show, The Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz Show, later termed the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.
The money began changing hands, and as the Presidential elections of 1960 began, Cuba began her upward swing, becoming once more the “Eastern Seaboard’s Playground”...
[1] There is a very good reason for why a respectable American author/historian would refer to the ideology practiced by Castro as “Marxism” rather than “Communism”. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you yet.
[2] By the CIA, that is. It’s considered pretty clear by Miss Grantley, though. And it was rightly deserved, too.
[3] This claim cannot be proven, but that won’t stop Miss Grantley decrying Marxism, will it?
[4] At this point, Castro is only Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; however, the “sudden resignation” of the President the next month leaves only one person holding the reigns of power in Lucille Grantley’s mind.
[5] NATO - The “Treaty” part is often left out ITTL, due to later events.
[6] Miss Grantley may be taking some literary license here, but she most probably isn’t too far off.
[7] By which is meant the Korean War.
[8] POD! In OTL, the Dominican Revolution failed. ITTL, however...
I’ll See You In C-U-B-A
Part #1: Troubles in Paradise
From: Roll the Dice!: A History of Modern Cuba, by Lucille Grantley (Albany Press, 1997)
By the late 1950s, Cuba was already beginning to take her modern position as the “Eastern Seaboard’s Las Vegas”. However, the contrasts between tourist-populated Havana - and the landed upper class, a remnant of Spanish colonialism - and the poorer areas of Cuba were stark and commanding. It was therefore no wonder that the ugly snout of Marxism would arise within the country. [1]
The signs of discontent had always been there; however, they would not erupt into Revolution until 1958, when a group of Cuban freedom fighters, the majority of whom were Marxists, led a campaign to overthrow the government of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista. Indeed, Batista’s handling of Cuba was so terrible that the United States imposed an arms embargo upon the nation when Batista asked for weapons to be used against the guerillas....
By 1959, Batista’s government was finished. On the last day of 1958, Batista had handed over control of Cuba to the revolutionaries, the most important of whom was Fidel Castro, who had been the primary leader of the Cuban Revolution. Castro was a critic of American influence in Cuba, so it seemed that the pleasures of the Thirteen Colonies’ rich might be curtailed for a little while.
The first Revolutionary troops to enter Havana were led by the ideologically-opposed Che Guevara and Camilo Cienfuegos. Guevara was a devout Marxist, Argentinean-born, who would survive the ‘60 War and go on to lead attempted Revolutions in Bolivia, Venezuela, and Panama, where, in 1967, he was finally captured and executed.[2] Cienfuegos, on the other hand, was a Cuban revolutionary, a close friend of Castro, and an opponent of Marxism. [3] He would die on October 28, his plane mysteriously disappearing. Interestingly, Cienfuegos had recently resigned from his position in protest of the increasingly Marxist attitudes of Castro’s government.
On January 6, Fidel Castro arrived triumphantly in Havana, determined to rid the city - and, by extension, the country - of corruption. The next day, the United States, much to her later displeasure, recognized Castro’s government. [4] On the thirteenth, seventeen supporters of Batista were publicly executed, and one month and three days later, Castro became official Premier of Cuba.
As part of his new position, Castro began expropriating American interests in Havana - most of which were gambling houses -, thereby increasing tension with the United States. This would prove to be a foolish move, and would eventually lead to the ‘60 War.
In order to cool the tensions, and “prove” to the North Atlantic Organization [5] that he was not a Marxist in any way, shape, or form, Castro decided upon a state visit to the U.S. He flew to Washington, D.C., and requested an audience with President Eisenhower. Eisenhower, however, refused; he instead went to a golf game. This showed that Castro’s visit would not signal an American-Castro friendship, as the Cuban Premier had no doubt wished.
In delicious - or not-so-delicious - irony, Castro, after vehemently denying Marxist tendencies in New York on April 25, began putting out feelers to KGB officers in Mexico City beginning on the 27. Nikita Krushchev was alerted of these overtures, and was intrigued....
By July, over one hundred Spanish-speaking Marxists had been sent to Cuba, and the Marxist leanings of the Castroista government was well recognized. The Congress, Chiefs of Staff, and Cabinet all demanded that President Eisenhower do something about the encroachment of the Red Wave on America’s literal doorstep. The White House itself was bombarded by demands that the President do something - anything - to prevent the spread of Marxism in the area subject to the Monroe Doctrine. [6]
And so Eisenhower did. Was he not, after all, the man who had stopped the Red Tide from expanding further in northern Asia? [7] The President broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba in June of 1959, when a Marxist revolution overthrew the Dominican Republic’s government. [8] In response to this, Castro tried to sign a full military pact with the Soviets. However, Krushchev refused, worried about the United States’ response to such an act. The USSR would tarry a wee while, as the saying goes, and see how events proceeded.
This would prove to be a wise choice. For, as 1960 dawned, Eisenhower, wishing to wipe the Red Menace from his hemisphere and assure a Republican victory in the election, planned for war....
Thus did the ‘60 War begin, on March 1, 1960, when a flight of planes flew over Havana, dropping bombs as they went. Castro ordered the armed forces out of barracks and into the fray; however, it was too late. The Castroista government had never suspected that the American capitalist government, which they deemed a “paper tiger”, could be so bold.
American Marines landed at Havana, and quickly took the city, which Castro had abandoned when the bombs began falling. The rest of Cuba would be harder to take, but the American forces were prepared to fight...
By late May, most of Cuba was under American control, and Fidel Castro captured. He was imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay for life. Soon after the ‘60 War ended, the Rebuilding of Cuba began, with money rolling in, particularly from the famous couple Lucille and Desi Arnaz, who appeared in Cuba for the final episode of their TV show, The Lucille Ball - Desi Arnaz Show, later termed the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.
The money began changing hands, and as the Presidential elections of 1960 began, Cuba began her upward swing, becoming once more the “Eastern Seaboard’s Playground”...
[1] There is a very good reason for why a respectable American author/historian would refer to the ideology practiced by Castro as “Marxism” rather than “Communism”. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you yet.
[2] By the CIA, that is. It’s considered pretty clear by Miss Grantley, though. And it was rightly deserved, too.
[3] This claim cannot be proven, but that won’t stop Miss Grantley decrying Marxism, will it?
[4] At this point, Castro is only Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces; however, the “sudden resignation” of the President the next month leaves only one person holding the reigns of power in Lucille Grantley’s mind.
[5] NATO - The “Treaty” part is often left out ITTL, due to later events.
[6] Miss Grantley may be taking some literary license here, but she most probably isn’t too far off.
[7] By which is meant the Korean War.
[8] POD! In OTL, the Dominican Revolution failed. ITTL, however...