What if~Fidel Castro never conquered Cuba?

Fidel Castro is considered by some a famous as well as an infamous leader in the modern world. He fought and won against a dictatorship only to replace it with another, of his own. The Island Nation of Cuba (which is no further than 100 Miles from the USA) saw some political turmoils under Castro's reign. Now, the relations between Cuba and the USA are improving to the point where the 2 nations are now trading again. Now that Castro has passed and put to rest, we have to ponder on another what if question. What if Fidel Castro never conquered Cuba, what would the country be like, and what its relations with the USA would be as well as it's role in the Cold War? This is what this page will try to cover, but first (and as always) some real history. Just scroll down to the "What if?" category if you just want to read about the alternate scenario.

## Real History

It all began after the USA wins the Spanish/American War in the late 19th century. With it, the USA takes most of the land that once belonged to Spain which included the biggest island in the Carribean (Cuba).

As the USA occupied Cuba, there were moves to try to annex it and make it into American territory. But in 1901, a bill has passed called the "*Platt Ammendment*" which allows the USA to occupy the island, but not fully annex it. During this time however, the USA controlled much of Cuba's commodites such as sugar and other crops.

However, in 1934 a treaty between the 2 nations was finally agreed upon. Around 7 years later Cuba has wrote up their very own constitution in 1940. This made Cuba a sovereign nation and a democracy.

In the year 1952, Cuba was having their election to vote for a new leader. But one of the people running for leader of Cuba named *Fulgencio Batista* knowing that there's no way for him to win the election, staged a military coup against the Cuban government. He was successful, and he cancelled the election and even suspending the Cuban Constitution. One of the young members of the government named *Fidel Castro* decided to lead a rebellion against the Batista regime.

Fidel's alongside his brother Raul rounded other members of the Cuban military and convinced them to join his side. Their first course of action is to infiltrate Moncanda Baracks to steal weapons, but their plot would end in failure and both Castro brothers were thrown in jail and Castro gave his "History will absolve me" speech, though after a few months Batista released them, and the brothers fled to Mexico to re-organize.

While the Castros in Mexico, they met up with an Argentine radical named Ernesto "Che" Guevara. After several years, they head back to Cuba in hopes to overthrow Batista. Unfortunately, they would fail again, and then flee into the *Sierra Meastra*mountaisn in the southeast part of the island. Batista thought he had won because he didn't think they would survive in the mountains due to the harsh environment.

But, while they were in the mountains, the Castros and Guevara gained more supporters, and they formed an organized rebellion known as the *26th of July Movement*.

In the latter parts of the 1950's, Batista then sent in troops to the mountains in hopes to quell this new rebellion, but he would fail against them, allowing Castro and his new rebellion to advance throughout Cuba.

By the end of 1958, Batista knew that he'll lose his beloved seat in government and fled from Cuba into exile. This allowed the 26th of July Movement to move almost unopposed throughout Cuba, and came into Havana and was given a hero's welcome.

Castro came into Havana as a hero, praised for liberating Cuba from Bastista's cruel reign and wanted to rebuild Cuba and rid of all of the Batista supporters.

But as Castro and his men rid the last of the Batista supporters, he also became to be more authoritarian, he suspended the Cuban Elections and even went against those who fought for him. Then, Cuba became a one party communist nation and allying with the Soviet Union and even helped the Soviets bring Nuclear Missiles onto the island nation and nearly brought the world to complete and utter annihilation.

## What if?

Here is everybody's anticipated question. What if Fidel Castro never conquered Cuba, what would become of Cuba and what role it would play in the Cold War?

Let's say that both Fidel and Raul were still thrown in jail for their deeds in trying to steal weapons at that military base. But instead of Batista letting them go, he orders their execution.

At first this would mean that Che Guevara wouldn't be a warrior and wouldn't have his name mentioned in future history (and no flashy shirts either). The 26th of July Movement wouldn't have been formed either.

However, this doesn't mean that Batista would win and Cuba would be under is rule forever. Because Batista wouls silence just about anybody who did agree with him such as citizens, the media and even members of his own court that Cuba was a submersive dictatorship, but because of this the Cuban citizens were no fans of Batista.

Batista wasn't just a power-hungry and paranoid leader, he was also corrupt. Cuba under Batista's Regime also saw US Mobsters open casinos as promote prositution. But because of Batista's brutal methods of silencing his own people, the USA also put a rift between it and Cuba.

But the 26th of July Movement wasn't the only group that rebeled against Batista's Regime. There was also the *Student Revolutionary Directorate*who also opposed Batista's regime, in this alternate reality without Castro, the SRD would've taken it's place.

So, the Cuban Revolution continues, and takes a bit longer for the SRD to overthrow Batista than Castro's rebels. Though, what would happen in Cuba in this Alternate reality is that it will not become communist, but more like some of the other nations such as Mexico, Costa Rica and even some European nations.

Now, what Castro did on our reality that was positive is that he brought racial and gender equality, and that is what the SRD would also bring when they overthrow Batista.

It's difficult to say if some kind of Missile Crisis would happen. The USA actually triggered the Cuban Missile Crisis by constructing Nuclear Missile Silos in Turkey and in Italy, however this was in repsonse for the failed attempt for the USA to invade Cuba in the Bay of Pigs. Without a Communist takeover, the Cold War may have been seen differently.

Going into our Modern Era, Cuba would've been one of the Carribean's most popular tourist attractions. Drugs, Gambling and prostitution wouldn't be as rampant as it is in Cuba in our reality. Havana would also be one of the more elegant capitals in Central America, not like the Los Vegas under Batista's Regime.

Well, that is all for this page. What would you think would happen to Cuba if Fidel Castro never conquered it. Don't forget to check out my Johnny OTGS Movies and Johnny OTGS Games. Until next time, this is Johnny OTGS signing out.