What Happened During The Cuban Revolution?

During the Cuban Revolution, Fulgencio Batista's regime was overthrown by the 26th of July Movement. The revolution saw the establishment of a new Cuban government, under the leadership of Fidel Castro in the 1950s.

The revolution began on the 26th of July 1953, with an assault on the Moncada Barracks. The revolution ended on the 1st of January 1959, with the ouster of Batista, who was forced to flee the country. The cities of Santa Clara and Santiago de Cuba fell to the rebels, who were led by Che Guevara, and Raúl Castro and Huber Matos, both surrogates of Fidel Castro. The term 'Cuban Revolution' also refers to the revolution that followed after the ouster of Batista, and also the Cuban Government's adoption of Marxist principles.

In February, Castro became Prime Minister and elections were suspended, with Castro becoming President for life, and all opposition was crushed. A communist government was set up under his leadership, and with Cuba's honeymoon with the Soviet Union, relations with the US soured, with efforts to overthrow him.