MONEY+GUNS=REVOLUTION

Fifty-two years ago today, 16th February 1959, Fidel Castro became Prime Minister of Cuba. Shortly after he took office he visited the United States for the first time on the 15th April 1959. It was not a state visit, but he went to the U.S. as a guest of the American Society of Newspaper Editors. In fact he had himself invited by the Press Club. Whilst in New York he made an appearance on the Tonight Show with Jack Paar. Paar had only recently taken over as host of the show, which was later renamed The Jack Paar Show, whether because of Castro's appearance or for some other reason, who knows.

I recall watching that show. It was not a long interview, and Paar greeted Castro with an embrace. Fidel was still thought of with good will - the man who led the revolution for a more democratic Cuba - the man who toppled the Dictator Batista (who fled the country on the 1st January 1959 with bags containing some $300,000,000). Americans understood all about democratic revolutions toppling dictators and the man was most welcome.

Even the State Department were quick to recognise the new regime. Che Guevara led the Revolutionary forces into Havana on the 1st January, Fidel entered Havana on the 7th and that same day the United States recognised the new Government of Cuba. The honeymoon was on; however, there were problems and rumblings due to approaching Soviet diplomatic visits to Cuba.

By July '59 American journalist Walter Lippman wrote: "For the thing we should never do in dealing with revolutionary countries, in which the world abounds, is to push them behind an iron curtain raised by ourselves. On the contrary, even when they have been seduced and subverted and are drawn across the line, the right thing do do is to keep the way open for their return."

By March '60, the following year, President Eisenhower approved a covert action plan against Cuba, that included the use of a "powerful propaganda campaign to overthrow Castro, which plan included the termination of sugar purchases, the end of oil deliveries, continuation of an arms embargo and the organisation of a paramilitary force of Cuban exiles to invade the Island.

Kennedy then caught all the flack after his election as President in November of 1960. The Bay of Pigs debacle went ahead on the 17th April 1961; however,

…way before any of this a young Fidel Castro wrote a letter in 1940 to the then President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt:

It reads:

Santiago de Cuba

Nov 6 1940

Mr Franklin Roosvelt

President of the United States

My good friend Roosvelt. I don’t know very English, But I know as much as write to you.

I like to hear the radio, and I am very happy, because I heard in it, that you will be President for a new (periodo)

I am twelve years old. I am a boy but I think very much, but I do not think that I am writing to the President of the United States,

If you like, give me a ten dollars bill green American, in the letter, because never I have not seen a ten dollars bill green american and I would like to have one of them.

My address is:

Sr. Fidel Castro

Colegio de Dolores

Oriente. Cuba

I don’t know very English But I know very much Spanish and I suppose you don’t know very Spanish but you know very English because you are American but I am not American.

Thank you very muchs

Good by, your friend

Castro

Fidel Castro

If you want iron to make your sheaps ships I will show to you the biggest (minas) of iron of the land. They are in (Majori)? Oriente Cuba

I wonder if Roosevelt ever sent the money. Perhaps he did and that ten dollars bill green american is what started the money part of the equation. Who can say?