In 1952, former Cuban president Batista

led a military coup and seized power

when it became clear he was not going to

be re-elected. He placed Cuba under a

repressive military dictatorship

and began to establish close relations

with the United States.

This allowed American

companies to buy up the majority of

Cuba's natural resources, plus under his

rule, the country became a haven for

organized crime syndicates, all of which

angered a young lawyer named Fidel Castro.

Castro put together a group of 138 men