In 1959, Fidel Castro led the Cuban Revolution, which pursued radical social and economic policies, while at the same time it alienated the U.S. by nationalizing American companies and signing military and economic pacts with Moscow. After the Cuban government implemented several economic reforms, US trade restrictions on Cuba increased.
The U.S. stopped buying Cuban sugar, which was a huge economic dependency for Cuba and refused to supply them with oil, creating a devastating economic consequence for the island.
In March 1960, tensions increased when the freighter La Coubre exploded in Havana harbor, killing over 75 people. Fidel Castro blamed the United States for the incident. During the same month, President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to train Cuban refugees as a guerrilla force to overthrow Castro, which would lead to the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt at overthrowing Castro’s regime.
Each time the Cuban government nationalized US properties, the US government countered with further measures, eventually resulting in the prohibition of all exports to Cuba on October 19, 1960. Consequently, Cuba began to strengthen its trade relations with the Soviet Union, leading the US to break off all remaining official diplomatic relations. US begins formulating "Operation Mongoose" a sabotage attempt to destabilize the Cuban government and assassinate Castro.
A U.S. Senate Select Intelligence Committee report later confirmed over eight attempted plots to kill Castro between 1960 and 1965, as well as additional plans against other Cuban leaders.
The U.S. stopped buying Cuban sugar, which was a huge economic dependency for Cuba and refused to supply them with oil, creating a devastating economic consequence for the island.
In March 1960, tensions increased when the freighter La Coubre exploded in Havana harbor, killing over 75 people. Fidel Castro blamed the United States for the incident. During the same month, President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to train Cuban refugees as a guerrilla force to overthrow Castro, which would lead to the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, a failed attempt at overthrowing Castro’s regime.
Each time the Cuban government nationalized US properties, the US government countered with further measures, eventually resulting in the prohibition of all exports to Cuba on October 19, 1960. Consequently, Cuba began to strengthen its trade relations with the Soviet Union, leading the US to break off all remaining official diplomatic relations. US begins formulating "Operation Mongoose" a sabotage attempt to destabilize the Cuban government and assassinate Castro.
A U.S. Senate Select Intelligence Committee report later confirmed over eight attempted plots to kill Castro between 1960 and 1965, as well as additional plans against other Cuban leaders.