Thought #19                                                               April 2009
Author: Bill Thurston

Our Checkered Past with Cuba

Cuba is back in the news so I thought it would be a good time to capture the history of the United States and Cuba. You will be surprised to see how many times we have been friends then foes with the Cuban government. This information and more can be found at the National Security Achieves at George Washington University.

http://search.gwu.edu/search?q=cuba&site=gw_main&client=gw_main&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=gw_main

Here is our history with Cuba in a nutshell. It seems long but will only take about 7 minutes to read.

1492
 Spain lays claim to Cuba.

1603
In order to end smuggling activities the government decrees that the sale of tobacco to foreigners is punishable by death.

1762
King George III of England declares war on Spain.
A large British force captures Havana.

1763

The English and Spanish governments make a trade.  Florida (which had been captured by the Spanish) for Havana.

1796

Spain declares war on Britain.

Spain ends all commercial activity between Cuba and the U.S.

1834

A papal decree officially ends the Spanish Inquisition.

1848

President Polk offers Spain $100 million for Cuba. Spain refuses to sell Cuba.

1852

A constitutional convention takes place and a new government is elected.  As the rebels declare success, President McKinley refuses to recognize Cuban Independence.

1898

The U.S. sends the battleship USS Maine to Havana.

The USS Maine explodes in Havana's harbor. The U.S. blames Spain, and so begins the Spanish/Cuban/American War.

Spain and the U.S. sign the Treaty of Paris. The U.S. is granted control of four new territories: Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Philippines and Guam. 

1901

The Cuban Constitution is adopted. The document is basically modeled after the U.S. Constitution.

Cuba agrees to sell or lease to the U.S. lands necessary for coaling or naval stations.

1903

The U.S. signs a treaty with the Cuban government leasing Guantánamo Bay. There is no 99 year clause, and the treaty can only be terminated when both governments agree to the termination.

1905

U.S. President Roosevelt issues an executive order in which Cuba's governor comes under the direct supervision of the Secretary of War.

1956

In Mexico City, 28 Cuban revolutionaries are arrested. Fidel Castro is one of them.

82 men lead by Fidel Castro depart Mexico for Cuba.

1957

The Manifesto of the Sierra Maestra is issued by Fidel Castro. It calls for all Cubans to form a civic revolutionary front.

By the late 1950’s, American capital control most of Cuba: 90% of Cuba’s mines, 80% of its public utilities, 50% of its railways, 40% of its sugar production, 25% of its bank deposits.

1959

Revolutionary forces take control of Havana. 

Castro arrives in Havana. The U.S. government officially recognizes the new Cuban government.

Fidel Castro becomes Prime Minister of the Revolutionary Government.

Castro announces that general elections will be held in Cuba in 2 years.

The Cubans makes the first official contact with the Soviet Union.

1960

Cuba and the Soviet Union form an extensive trade agreement.

U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles rejects an offer from Cuba to begin negotiations because of Cuba's condition that the U.S. take no action that could damage the Cuban economy while the talks are in progress.

President Eisenhower approves a covert action plan against Cuba designed to overthrow Castro.

The first shipment of Soviet oil arrives in Havana.

Shell, Esso, and Texaco, refuse to refine Soviet oil in Cuba. At the same time U.S. companies refuse to sell fuel to Cuba. Cuba nationalizes the Texaco, Esso, and Shell oil refinery.

In response to these seizures, the U.S. congress passes the "Sugar Act," relieving us from an obligation to buy Cuban sugar.

Cuba retaliates by nationalizing all U.S. businesses and commercial property.

China agrees to purchase 500,000 tons of sugar from Cuba each year for five years. This is the first commercial treaty between the two countries.

U.S. imposes a partial economic embargo on Cuba that excludes food and medicine.

Cuba nationalizes additional properties owned by American interests in response to the economic embargo imposed by the U.S.

1961

Weapons from the Soviet bloc are displayed in a parade in Havana. Included are rocket launchers, truck-pulled field artillery, heavy tanks, anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns.

The U.S. breaks off official diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Cuban airfields are bombed by "mystery planes" in order to destroy the Revolution’s air force. The attacks wipe out most of Cuban fighter planes.

Cuban exiles, trained, armed and funded by the CIA, invade Cuba at Bay of Pigs. After three days of fighting the invading force is defeated by the Cuban army.

Castro formally declares that the revolution is "socialist." Castro refers to Cuba as a "socialist country."

1962

President Kennedy broadens the trade restrictions imposed by Eisenhower to a ban on all trade with Cuba, except for non subsidized sale of foods and medicines.

The Cuban Missile Crisis begins when U.S. reconnaissance aircraft photograph Soviet construction of intermediate range missile sites in Cuba.

President Kennedy demands the withdrawal of Soviet missiles and imposes a naval blockade. Khrushchev agrees on condition that Cuba receives guarantee of non-aggression from the U.S. and Jupiter missiles aimed at the Soviet Union are removed from Turkey.

A naval quarantine of the island begins.

Soviet officials agree to remove the nuclear missiles from Cuba.

The naval quarantine that surrounded Cuba is lifted.

1963

The Kennedy administration prohibits travel to Cuba and makes financial and commercial transactions with Cuba illegal for U.S. citizens.

All Cuban-owned assets in the United States are frozen.

1964

Castro makes a peaceful offer to the US. We rejected the offer saying Cuba must first end its dependency on the Soviets and cease to support revolutionary groups in Latin America.

1965

The new Communist Party of Cuba is inaugurated.

Hundreds of Cubans begin to leave the island. The port is opened to foreign boats, and within two months about 7,500 refugees have arrived in the U.S. The Cuban airlift begins. In its first year, the airlift brings more than 45,000 refugees.

1966

U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson signs into law the Cuban Adjustment Act, which exempts Cuban immigrants from general U.S. migration laws. Any Cuban who has reached U.S. territory since January 1, 1959 is eligible for permanent residency after two years. 123,000 Cubans immediately apply for permanent status.

1968

Castro launches a revolutionary offensive which nationalizes 55,000 small businesses and leads to state control of nearly all trades and services.

1970

The U.S. warns the Soviet Union to discontinue construction of a nuclear submarine base in Cuba.

1973

Cuba and the U.S. sign an antihijacking agreement.

1974

U.S. Senators Claiborne Pell and Jacob Javits  visit Cuba. They are the first U.S. elected officials to visit the island since the break of diplomatic relations.

1975

U.S. Senator Edward M. Kennedy urges the U.S. government to lift the embargo and normalize relations with Cuba.

The U.S. announces that it will allow foreign subsidiaries of U.S. companies to sell products in Cuba, and that it will no longer penalize other nations for trade with Cuba.

1976

Cuba develops a new constitution and becomes a socialist state.

Fidel Castro is elected as head of state, head of government, and commander in chief of the Armed Forces.

1977

U.S. President Carter drops the ban on travel to Cuba.

The U.S. and Cuba sign a maritime boundary and fishing rights accord.

1979

Cuban Americans are permitted to visit their families in Cuba. More than 100,000 visit in the coming year.

1981

Ronald Reagan institutes the most hostile policy against Cuba since the invasion at Bay of Pigs. Despite conciliatory signals from Cuba, the new U.S. administration announces a tightening of the embargo.

Cuba mobilizes its reserves and goes on full alert in preparation for an anticipated U.S. invasion.

1982

The Reagan Administration reestablishes the travel ban, prohibits U.S. citizens from spending money in Cuba, and allows the 1977 fishing accord to lapse.

1985

U.S. President Ronald Reagan bans travel to the U.S. by Cuban government officials or their representatives.

1990

The U.S. Congress passes the Mack Amendment, which prohibits all trade with Cuba by subsidiaries of U.S. companies located outside the U.S.

1991

Soviet troops leave Cuba.

The Soviet Union disbands, ending economic trade worth approximately $6 billion annually to Cuba.

1993

The United Nations General Assembly reprimands Iran, Iraq, Sudan and Cuba for abusing the human rights of their citizens.

1994

Following Castro's declaration of an open migration policy, a new boat lift begins as economic conditions in Cuba continue to deteriorate. 32,000 Cubans are picked up by the US Coast Guard and taken to the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay.

A migration agreement is reached between U.S. and Cuba, allowing for a minimum of 20,000 immigrants per year.

1995

Cuba joins the internet.

1996

Cubaweb, the official Cuban web site, appears on the World Wide Web. http://www.cubaweb.cu/

President Clinton signs the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act which imposes penalties on foreign companies doing business in Cuba.

1998

The Pentagon concludes that Cuba poses no significant threat to U.S. national security, and senior defense officials urge increased contact with their counterparts on the island.

1999

Six members of the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus visit Cuba to evaluate the U.S.  imposed embargo.

2002

A group of about 2,000 Americans travels to Cuba with licenses from the U.S. Treasury Department.

Six members of the U.S. Congress meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro.

Illinois Governor George Ryan visits Cuba. Ryan is the only U.S. Governor to visit Cuba since 1959.

U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and a 24-member California delegation, on a visit to Havana, eat a dinner with Castro.

Ex U.S. President Jimmy Carter goes to Havana.

The U.S. House of Representatives votes to allow the sale of goods to Cuba and to end the travel ban.

Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura urges an end to the embargo.

About 180,000 U.S. citizens visited Cuba in 2002.

2004

U.S. President Bush bans vessels from traveling to Cuban ports from U.S. ports.

Cuba freezes most U.S. dollar sales.

Cuba ends the circulation of the U.S. dollar.

2006

US President G.W. Bush approves $80 million to be used for boosting democracy in Cuba. The Cuban government refers to this as an act of aggression.

2007

The United Nations Human Rights Council removes Cuba from the list of nations believed to be violators of human rights.

2008

Both Fidel and Raul Castro were reelected to the National Assembly as well as 614 unopposed candidates.

Fidel Castro retired.

Final Thought

With Fidel retiring and his old buddy the Soviet Union collapsed and Raul Castro seeming more receptive to a better relationship with the United States, maybe it's time to end the 50 year old feud. At a minimum, it's an opportunity to address the drug transloading issue with our neighbor. Let's keep the activity in perspective. We now have much more important things to keep our top government officials busy. I wonder what the tax will be on imported Cuban cigars?