united states invade cuba

Foam

Banned
What if United States invaded Cuba within a year of Castro taking control of Cuba to restore democracy officially
 
1960 is too early. US-Cuban relations didn't break down until that year, which was when Ike started putting restrictions on trade and began prepping for the Bay of Pigs. 1961 was a better opportunity. Kennedy never really supported the Bay of Pigs and allowed it to happen because the alternative (shutting the whole thing down, then allowing the now hostile exiles to return to the US where they would spread political opposition to JFK's Cuban policy) was deemed worse and he deliberately allowed it to fail. Had Nixon - who played a major role in organizing the Bay of Pigs and supported it all the way - won in 1960 then you'd see air strikes on the Cuban beachhead to protect the exiles, putting America on a slippery slope to an invasion sometime in late April/early May 1961.
 

Marc

Donor
What if United States invaded Cuba within a year of Castro taking control of Cuba to restore democracy officially

You mean to finally allow Cuba to have democracy? That would be odd, since it would go against long standing US policy.
 
A lot of it depends on the fortunes of war, of course.

However, the people wouldn't have welcomed them as liberators. If the nucleus of Castro's high command survives and returns to the safer areas of the countryside, the US has a though fight ahead.

Unlike in Vietnam, the socialist states would have a hard time sending supplies to the resistance if the US manages to set up a permanent blocade. It's questionable how many Latin American states would support the US in this since they've just invaded a neighbour who commited no outward hostilities against them.

Latin American population would surely grow more hostile against the US and it's possible that this would facilitate more Cuba-like revolutions across the region. With the US stuck in Vietnam as well, this would be fulfilling Guevara's strategy of a global struggle against American imperialism.

The US might put another military figure in charge or they might try to actually form some sort of a broad civilian government, but either of these would likely be seen as a puppet of washington.
 
Jose Cardona was the selected man that would have been placed in the role of Cuban President under the original plan.

The war in all actuality would be over fairly quickly but an "Occupational-War" would follow until 1963-65 most likely until the main resistance finally cracks under the pressure. There were enough detractors of Castro's Cuba to have Cuba have a chance at stability following such a war, but there would be terrorism for years to come most likely. Until America pulls troops out and the actual democracy begins. Which would probably happen by the late-mid 60's. This doesn't mean America wouldn't sweep right the fuck back down if stuff started acting up though.

Another thing America has at its disposal is American corporate interests that will welcome the return to Cuba with open arms. Their presence if done correctly could also lend to stability if it increases the quality of life for the average cuban. it would all depend on how that is set-up post victory.
 
Invading Cuba would seriously damage American credibility and be a huge propaganda coup for communists throughout the world. A long-term occupation of Cuba would also limit America's ability to engage in other theaters of the Cold War, so expect a more aggressive Soviet policy in say Southeast Asia, Korea, or the Middle East. And as others have said, there was an incredibly narrow window where it was possible to even pull off without the benefit of seeing the future or starting WWIII.

It's easy to see with hindsight why America might have wanted to invade Cuba when it had then chance, but at the time blockade and sanction looked the much better option for most powerful people in Washington.
 
Invading Cuba would seriously damage American credibility and be a huge propaganda coup for communists throughout the world. A long-term occupation of Cuba would also limit America's ability to engage in other theaters of the Cold War, so expect a more aggressive Soviet policy in say Southeast Asia, Korea, or the Middle East. And as others have said, there was an incredibly narrow window where it was possible to even pull off without the benefit of seeing the future or starting WWIII.

It's easy to see with hindsight why America might have wanted to invade Cuba when it had then chance, but at the time blockade and sanction looked the much better option for most powerful people in Washington.

prior to the Bay of Pigs, which is where this alternate invasion would have occurred, the Soviet backing of Cuba was nowhere near the levels of support that they were during the missile crisis. They would be outwardly furious, but the Soviet Union isn't going to war over Cuba. Especially not prior to the Bay of Pigs.

There's also a good possibility that an administration that crushes a communist cuba wouldn't feel the total need to get so involved in Vietnam as OTL was. They have the PR victory at home and this time its where people actually know where it is on a map.

Prior to the Bay of Pigs, Castro's Cuba had been shooting political prisoners with little to no trials (in the fair sense) and outwardly infuriating the west following the snub from Eisenhower. The outrage probably wouldn't have been as severe as some think. Especially if America half-way tried to frame the story in their favor. What would make this even easier is making way for a situation that draws Cuban fire on say a naval ship or Guantanamo bay. Then you have a remember the Maine mentality take hold.
 
prior to the Bay of Pigs, which is where this alternate invasion would have occurred, the Soviet backing of Cuba was nowhere near the levels of support that they were during the missile crisis. They would be outwardly furious, but the Soviet Union isn't going to war over Cuba. Especially not prior to the Bay of Pigs.

There's also a good possibility that an administration that crushes a communist cuba wouldn't feel the total need to get so involved in Vietnam as OTL was. They have the PR victory at home and this time its where people actually know where it is on a map.

Prior to the Bay of Pigs, Castro's Cuba had been shooting political prisoners with little to no trials (in the fair sense) and outwardly infuriating the west following the snub from Eisenhower. The outrage probably wouldn't have been as severe as some think. Especially if America half-way tried to frame the story in their favor. What would make this even easier is making way for a situation that draws Cuban fire on say a naval ship or Guantanamo bay. Then you have a remember the Maine mentality take hold.

Yes that's why I said there's a narrow window. America has to invade Cuba before it goes into the Soviet camp. And obviously taking steps towards invading Cuba will push it into the Soviet camp as well. There's always going to only be a few month period at most where an invasion is even possible.

There would always be a need to get involved in Vietnam. America was already involved in Vietnam. Southeast Asia is one of the most geopolitically important regions of the world and on top of that letting it fall without a fight (which is what not escalating in Vietnam would entail) would seriously damage American credibility with its allies around the world.

And yes it would be easy to sell a Cuba invasion to the American public, just say the word communism three times. But to the rest of the world, an invasion of Cuba would show that they have no self-determination, and that America would just invade on a whim. Especially in Latin America this is going to push many democrats into the communist camp, but it would have reverberations across the rest of the Global South as well. Post-WWII America made great steps to maintain the appearance of playing by the rules and being a fairer master than the Europeans were. Invading Cuba based on flimsy justifications that any neutral observer could see through would do much to throw all that good will away.
 
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