Paper 3 Practice
To what extent was the context of the Cold War influential to the success and
institutionalization of the Cuban Revolution?
The Cuban Revolution, led by Fidel Castro and the Movement on July 26 th, marked a crucial
moment in the politics of the Cold War period. The institutionalization of the Cuban Revolution
changed drastically the global context of the Cold War and its development, Cuba transformed
and became a focal point in the ideological struggles between the United States and the Soviet
Union, in which the war unwrapped and caused consequences internationally. The purpose of
the investigation is to explore the Cold War influenced by the success of the Cuban Revolution
and the consequences established by the influence of a socialist state.
Anti-Imperialism and Nationalism were a fundamental factor that contributed to the success of
the Cuban Revolution which was a combination of the factors mentioned previously. Fidel
Castro mentioned that the revolution was a struggle against the influence of the United States,
considering the global movement of decolonization. In the Cold War, both sides had enormous
influences and power to bolster their respective ideologies, the anti-imperialist and nationalist
influences had severe powerful mobilization tools for Cuba to gain popularity in the nations. The
alliance between the Soviet Union and Cuba was important because it demonstrated the
hostility from the US, Fidel Castro sought support from the Soviet Union. The Soviet-Cuban
Union had drastic implications for the success and development of the revolution. The
economic and military assistance from the Soviet Union acted as a weapon against the US
influence, providing Cuba with the necessary support to consolidate the revolutionary gains.
The alliance not only secured Cuba’s survival taking into account the threats of external
conflicts, but the institutionalization of the socialist was part of the Cuban’s governance. The
Bay of Pigs Invasion (1961) and the Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) were two key events in the
period of the Cuban Revolution that influenced the Cold War context. The Bay of Pigs invasion
was developed but the US, and it ended in a total failure, but Cuba took advantage of the
socialism. The next event was the Cuban Missile Crisis, it was a direct confrontation, not a proxy
conflict, between the US and the Soviet Union, highlighting Cuba’s strategic importance in the
Cold War dynamics. The solution that they proposed was the removal of the US missiles from
Turkey and the agreement to not invade Cuba. The economic dependence on the Soviet Union
was a key factor for personal objectives because the Cold War demonstrated the reliance that
Cuba had on the Soviet Union. Trading agreements allowed Cuba to resist the economic
pressures towards the US and to maintain their political stability. The economic dependence not
only ensured the survival and stability of the Cuban government but also ensured the
institutionalization of the planning of a one-party system, which represented and exalted the
Soviet model. The political and ideological alignment facilitated Cuba’s political and ideological
relationship with the socialists in the Cold War development. The Cuban government copied the
Marxist principles in which they established a one-party system. This not only allowed Cuba to
respond to external threats from the internal but also seek a secure relationship with the Soviet
Union for personal benefits and the achievement of goals.
In conclusion, the Cold War played a crucial role in the determination of the success of the
institutionalization of Cuba. The anti-imperialist, Soviet-Cuban alliances and the two key events
Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis all historical factors that contributed to the
path that the Cold War was going to take. The economic dependence on the Soviet Union
demonstrates Cuba’s attitude toward its benefits and contributes to its political advances.
Finally, the Cuban revolution succeeded and institutionalization was also broader in the global
dynamics, this can be an evident example of how international contexts can dramatically change
the path the revolutionary movements may take.
