was Cuba better off under Fidel Castro or General Batista?
103038
Fidel Castro\nBatista was a dictator
1182256
The reason the Treasury Dept. (A.K.A. the U.S. gov't.) spends all this money re the Cuban Problem(?) is quite simple. Castro and his revolution, which laid the groundwork for the betterment of a very poor populace, displaced a cruel, corrupt, vicious and malleable close friend to U.S. interests ( bananas and sugar immediately come to mind) named Batista, the Cuban dictator. Batista was also a crony of the American mobs. (a.k.a. Mafia ). This was their playground which, by extension, meant the playground for American politicians. The problem is that the U.S. gov't. does not dominate Cuba anymore and they don't like that.Doesn't is seem odd that other democratic countries have full relations with Cuba while the U.S. happily welcomes boat load after boatload of less than prime immigrants free access to the U.S. soil just to spite Cuba ; but we have to wonder if this spite has backfired over the last 45 years.
932735
Sad old man.  I think once Fidel is gone, things between the USA and Cuba will get better.
531685
Gained Puerto Rico, Guam and Philippines. \nIndependence to Cuba.
356817
There has been no "Cuban genocide", at least in the 20th century.  \n\nCastro may have killed maybe 10,000 to 20,000 people, depending on different versions, and how many died or were killed trying to escape on rafts or boats to Florida. Castro claims Batista killed about 20,000 people during 1952 to 1959. However, others believe the total number is actually around 5,000 to 10,000. Earlier dictator Machado killed a lot of people in the late 1920's and early 1930's, but the total is probably less than 5,000. \n\nHowever, nobody has ever called these deaths "genocide", since they were not systematic exterminations, as was the case of the Nazis, but really political violence, repression, etc.\n\nThe closest Cuba has ever been to genocide was the "reconcentration" campaign used by Spanish Tyrant Valeriano Weyler agains Cuban peasants durign the War of Independence (1895 to 1898). In this campaign, peasants were forced to abandon their homes and land and sent to concentration camps. Over a million peasants were "reconcentrated" and not less than 200,000 died of disease and malnutrition. It is said that Hitler was inspired by Weyler's strategies when he developed the extermination camps for Jews and other people he deemed undesirable.
891515
After commanding the revolution that overthrew Fulgencio Batista in 1959, he held the title of Prime Minister[1] of Cuba until 1976, when he became president of the Council of State as well as of the Council of Ministers. Castro became First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in 1965, and led the transformation of Cuba into a one-party socialist republic.
970311
Guillani. I think he has a better temperament for the job. Other than that, both are highly qualified.
812807
It is possible to have a benign dictator - someone who has absolute control and uses it (to some extent) to benefit the people he governs.  But it is hard to argue that the government of Cuba is anything else when opposition groups are illegal and there are no observers or NGO oversight during elections.\n\nCastro has done a lot for his country, particularly in terms of education and medicine, but it is sad to see it come with a loss of civil and human rights.  I think it's misleading to look at his actions as entirely good or bad.
621421
The Test of Time - Winner is Castro.\n\nF. Castro has been his country's leader a long time.\nIn the last century no one has been a head of state as long as Castro has. He holds the world wide record.
401187
Pure physical talent and strength... Batista no doubt.  For the fans they would have Cena win though.
562833
Fidel Castro; Cuba 47 years in power
313266
Che Guevara, I think he was from Argentina and Lived in Cuba.\nHe was some sort of a social activist.
161749
Yes. Cuba at the time posed a significant threat to the United States, since it was closely allied with the USSR diplomatically, and was only about 60 miles from Miami, one of the US' largest cities. A war fought there could have meant the end of the United States.\n\nAlso, the Madison Doctrine technically makes US intervention in Latin American politics allowed, although it is a distasteful piece of legislation. Still, it is essential to American national security.\n\nIt was poorly executed because Castro knew what was happening, and the invasion was poorly planned. The CIA trained exiles were also expecting massive amounts of internal help from Cubans, but they were disappointed. Almost no one showed up at the party.
2974
Because of the strategic position of Cuba, the United States possessed it at the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898, and later leased the property for a military base.  The United States has continued to do so even into Castro's reign, presumably because it did not want to relinquish such a strategic position, it did not want to give up the improvements it had made, and because it does not really affect Castro's power.  Castro has only cashed one rent check from the United States anyway.
36026
"When, on January 7, 1959, Fidel Castro assumed control of Cuba after President Fulgencio Batista fled on December 31, the U.S. government initially supported the Cuban Revolution, formally recognizing the new government. However, relations rapidly deteriorated when the new Cuban government passed the first Agrarian Reform Law to begin expropriation of large-scale (largely American-owned) land holdings on May 17, 1959. The compensation offered (based on 20-year bonds at 4.5% interest for the tax-assessed value) was seen as inadequate, and was rejected by American interests. Animosity escalated with the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis. After that, the U.S. promised never to invade Cuba again, but resorted to financial measures instead."\n\nThis embargo initially caused damage to the Cuban economy, but 45 years later, has very little effect.  This is why many (aside from GW Bush) have called for lifting the embargo.
877873
Cuba is a dictatorship.  Fidel Castro is not a king, he is a dictator.
603301
Cuba stopped invading other countries when the USSR ran out of money.  Since they are no longer a threat to anybody but themselves, there's no point invading them.