Cuba's Second War For Independence In 1895 example essay topic

Fidel Castro, inspired by Jos'e Mart'i who first dreamt of a Cuban Revolution who died a martyr before he could succeed, wanted to overthrow the corrupt government under Fulgencio Batista. Castro gathered an army of revolutionaries known as the Fidelistas who were driven by nationalism, idealism, patriotism, and the thought of possibly becoming a martyr, a historical glory of Cuba. The result of this revolution in Cuba was an overthrow of the government and the start of a Communist state that still remains today. Several events occurred that led up to the Cuban Revolution. The first war for Cuban independence lasted from 1868 through 1878 and became known as the Ten Years' War.

The following year, the 'Little War' began and lasted just over one year. The next attempt for independence began in 1892 by Jos'e Mart'i. In 1901 the United States passed the Platt Amendment which further angered the Cubans and increased the desire for independence. The Revolution of 1933 was led by a series of small uprisings. Then, in 1952 when Fulgencio Batista seized power and ended the constitutional government in Cuba. The 26th of July movement, also known as M-26, in 1953 was another step toward revolution.

Although the M-26 was a physical fight, the first operations of the revolution did not occur until late in 1956. Fighting continued until 1959 when Batista fled the country. The Ten Years' War began on October 10, 1868 at a plantation in Yar a. Carlos C', weary of the heavy taxes demanded by Spain, freed his slaves and assembled a mixed band of rebels. The movement grew very rapidly under C' control. On October 19 his forces captured the city of Bay amo, the first larger victory.

With the assistance of M'ax imo G'omen and other Dominican exiles, the rebels seized much of eastern Cuba. To counter these rebel forces, Captain General Lesundi organized the Voluntaries, or Voluntary Corps. Although the rebels lost the war, may other rebel groups, inspired by this war, began to appear. The year following the Ten Years' War brought about the start of another attempt to gain independence for Cuba. The 'Little War' began on August 29, 1879 and only lasted until September 1880. La Guerra Chiquita, as it was known in Cuba, failed badly.

It was followed by several other minor revolts which eventually led up to Cuba's second war for independence in 1895. Cuba's second war for independence began on April 11, 1895. After three years of planning, Jos'e Mart'i along with a small group of rebels landed at Mais'i Cape on the northern coast of Cuba. Mart'i and his rebels marched inland to meet with another rebel force led by General M'ax imo G'omen.

Against the advice of G'omen, Mart'i rode on his horse into the Cuban brush and on May 19, just thirty-nine days after his return, Mart'i fell in a volley of Spanish gunfire. He was killed therefor becoming a martyr and a future role model for Fidel Castro. In December 1896, possibly Cuba's greatest revolutionary leader Antonio Maceo, the Bronze Titan as he was known, was killed during a Spanish attack of his rebel camp. As the war raged on, both sides continued to suffer huge losses. Following the revolutionary war of 1895 and the war of 1898 between the United States and Spain, the United States passed the Platt Amendment in 1901. 'The amendment stated, in effect, that the United States had the right to intervene in Cuba whenever her interests demanded it.

' In practice, this basically meat that Cuba would be an economic colony of the United States for the next fifty years. Many Cubans felt that after all the Wars they fought, the shifting of control went from Spain to the United States. In 1902 the Republic of Cuba was founded. General Gerardo Machado y Morales came to power in 1924 as the Republic's fifth president. The Revolution of 1933 erupted while Machado served his second term of presidency. Rather than one great revolt, the revolution began in a series of small uprising.

Machado kept control while being supported by the army. The army backed off after growing acts of violence spread throughout Cuba. On August 12, 1933, Machado fled Cuba for the Bahamas. Carlos Manuel de C', Cuba's ambassador to Mexico, was chosen by the United States as Cuba's next president. The officers of the Cuban army disapproved of the this choice and on September 4, 'The Revolt of the Sergeants' was initiated. They seized control of all the army based in Cuba.

In 1940, after confusion of who was in control, Colonel Fulgencio Batista was elected as the president. After one mildly successful term in office, Batista yielded power to Grau San Mart " in and after four years Carlos Pr " io So carr " as stepped in as president. On March 10, 1952, Batista decided to become president again. This unlawful seizure of power was the beginning to the Cuban Revolution. Fidel Castro saw an opportunity at an attempt to overthrow the corrupt leader Fulgencio Batista.

The 26th of July Movement was born through the Moncada Plan. Moncada is the second largest military installation in Cuba. Planning for an attack on the the Moncada barracks began in February 1953 although Fidel had probably carried the idea i his head for many months before. He leased a farmhouse near Si boney Beach as the headquarters of the Fidelistas. From there, several handpicked men were sent into Santiago to rent apartments and conduct an around-the-clock watch over Moncada. The battle plan was slowly pieced together as the watch progressed and only six key individuals were a lowed to know the entire plan.