Effects of U.S. Foreign Policy on Cuba
Britt Pendergrast
Dr. Cassell
AP Lang
4th period
Effects of U.S. Foreign Policy on Cuba
The foreign policy of the United States toward Cuba over the past fifty years has caused many problems for the Cuban society and its people, and relations between the two nations have been at odds for decades due to the harsh foreign policy stance of the United States toward Cuba. The United States has considered Cuba as its enemy ever since July 1960 when Fidel Castro’s new revolutionary government changed everything. Castro seized privately owned land in Cuba, nationalized several privately owned companies (most of which were subsidiaries of U.S. businesses), and heavily taxed American products which led to U.S. exports being reduced greatly, nearly cutting them in half in just two years. The United States government responded three months later by placing a partial embargo on Cuba that excluded only food and medicine. However, this measure only encouraged Castro to look elsewhere for trade, and he quickly found that Soviet Union was eager to ally itself with Cuba. Cuba’s relationship with the communist Soviet Union only made U.S.-Cuban relations worse, and in February of 1962 the United States imposed a full trade embargo on Cuba. The embargo has been in place ever since with minor changes made to it, some intensifying restrictions and some relieving them. The United States imposed the unjust embargo almost fifty years ago in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt Cuban government and perhaps to bring democracy to its people; however, it has done little to undermine Castro and Cuba’s population has suffered greatly because of it, and yet the embargo still stands to this day.
The United States embargo on Cuba has been detrimental to the Cuban people and society, causing widespread poverty and famine. Some may say that these problems are due to the failures of the corrupt Cuban government; however these problems can be directly traced to the U.S. embargo. The embargo has
Dr. Cassell
AP Lang
4th period
Effects of U.S. Foreign Policy on Cuba
The foreign policy of the United States toward Cuba over the past fifty years has caused many problems for the Cuban society and its people, and relations between the two nations have been at odds for decades due to the harsh foreign policy stance of the United States toward Cuba. The United States has considered Cuba as its enemy ever since July 1960 when Fidel Castro’s new revolutionary government changed everything. Castro seized privately owned land in Cuba, nationalized several privately owned companies (most of which were subsidiaries of U.S. businesses), and heavily taxed American products which led to U.S. exports being reduced greatly, nearly cutting them in half in just two years. The United States government responded three months later by placing a partial embargo on Cuba that excluded only food and medicine. However, this measure only encouraged Castro to look elsewhere for trade, and he quickly found that Soviet Union was eager to ally itself with Cuba. Cuba’s relationship with the communist Soviet Union only made U.S.-Cuban relations worse, and in February of 1962 the United States imposed a full trade embargo on Cuba. The embargo has been in place ever since with minor changes made to it, some intensifying restrictions and some relieving them. The United States imposed the unjust embargo almost fifty years ago in hopes of overthrowing the corrupt Cuban government and perhaps to bring democracy to its people; however, it has done little to undermine Castro and Cuba’s population has suffered greatly because of it, and yet the embargo still stands to this day.
The United States embargo on Cuba has been detrimental to the Cuban people and society, causing widespread poverty and famine. Some may say that these problems are due to the failures of the corrupt Cuban government; however these problems can be directly traced to the U.S. embargo. The embargo has
Cited: Arcelaschi, Karen L. Explanation of the U.S. Embargo on Cuba. May 19, 2005. August 22, 2010. <http://www.googobits.com/articles/137-explanation-of-the-us-embargo-on-cuba.html>. Crouch, Clifford W. Cuba. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Chelsea House Publishers, 1999. "The Embargo Against Cuba Helped Castro Justify Oppression." The U.S. Policy on Cuba. Ed. Amy Francis. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. At Issue. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Aug. 2010. Herrara, Remy. The Effects of the U.S. Embargo Against Cuba. October 7, 2003. August 27, 2010. <http://www.alternatives.ca/eng/our-organisation/our-publications/analysis-and-articles/article/the-effects-of-the-us-embargo?lang=fr>. Hostetter, Martha, ed. Cuba. Vol. 73. Bronx, New York: The H.W. Wilson Company, 2001. "Vatican to U.S.: lift Cuba embargo." America 30 Nov. 2009: 8. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 22 Aug. 2010.