「2/16 今日美史」美国的噩梦：邻居向共产主义阵营靠拢

每天一篇“今日美史”，提炼和总结历史在今天发生的重要事件：谁，在哪里，什么时候，做了什么，这件事为什么重要，以及在写关于什么主题的论文的时候可以作为潜在的论据引用。每天30秒，轻松积累史实，为AP美国历史拿5分打下坚实基础。

When:Feb 16, 1959

Who：Fidel Castro、Fulgencio Batista

What：Fidel Castro was sworn in as prime minister of Cuba after leading a guerrilla campaign that forced right-wing dictator Fulgencio Batista into exile.

Fidel Castro

Why significant：The U.S. initially recognized the new Cuban dictator but withdrew its support after Castro launched a program of agrarian reform, nationalized U.S. assets on the island, and declared a Marxist government.

In April 1961, with training and support by the CIA, the Cuban exiles launched an ill-fated and unsuccessful invasion of Cuba known as the “Bay of Pigs.” The Soviet Union reacted to the attack by escalating its support to Castro’s communist government and in 1962 placed offensive nuclear missiles in Cuba. The discovery of the missiles by U.S. intelligence led to the tense “Cuban Missile Crisis,” which ended after the Soviets agreed to remove the weapons in exchange for a U.S. pledge not to invade Cuba.

Castro’s Cuba was the first communist state in the Western Hemisphere, and Castro would retain control of it into the 21st century, outlasting 10 U.S. presidents who opposed him with economic embargoes and political rhetoric. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Castro lost a valuable source of aid, but he made up for it by courting European and Canadian investment and tourism. Castro officially stepped down in February 2008, and died on November 25, 2016.

Tags：Fidel Castro, Cuba, Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs

关注公众号：PeerBang留学，还要获得更多免费留学大礼包！