0:00:03.639,0:00:06.429 In 1952, former Cuban president Batista 0:00:06.429,0:00:08.159 led a military coup and seized power 0:00:08.159,0:00:10.789 when it became clear[br]he was not going to be re-elected. 0:00:10.809,0:00:13.579 He placed Cuba [br]under a repressive military dictatorship 0:00:13.601,0:00:16.659 and began to establish close relations[br]with the United States. 0:00:16.739,0:00:18.265 This allowed American companies 0:00:18.265,0:00:20.714 to buy up the majority[br]of Cuba's natural resources, 0:00:20.714,0:00:23.046 plus, under his rule, [br]the country became a haven 0:00:23.046,0:00:24.609 for organized crime syndicates, 0:00:24.609,0:00:27.404 all of which angered a young lawyer[br]named Fidel Castro. 0:00:27.417,0:00:29.662 Castro put together a group of 138 men, 0:00:29.662,0:00:33.951 and on July 26th, 1953, [br]attacked an isolated barrack in Moncada 0:00:34.093,0:00:36.249 in the hope of securing more weapons. 0:00:36.269,0:00:37.631 The attack was a disaster 0:00:37.631,0:00:39.231 and the rebels were fought back. 0:00:39.231,0:00:41.523 Most of those who were not killed[br]were captured, 0:00:41.523,0:00:43.403 including Fidel and his brother Raúl. 0:00:43.403,0:00:46.609 The public trial of the captured rebels[br]helped turn public opinion 0:00:46.609,0:00:49.138 Castro's favor when he argued[br]against the dictatorship 0:00:49.138,0:00:51.087 and said, "History will absolve me". 0:00:51.087,0:00:52.946 He was sentenced to 15 years in prison, 0:00:52.946,0:00:55.701 but Batista was under international[br]and domestic pressure 0:00:55.736,0:00:58.776 for reforms and released[br]the political process in just 2 years. 0:00:58.821,0:01:02.518 Fidel and Raul fled to Mexico to regroup[br]and make new plans for the revolution 0:01:02.668,0:01:04.258 They met with other Cuban exiles 0:01:04.258,0:01:06.380 and an Argentinian doctor[br]named Che Guevara, 0:01:06.380,0:01:09.003 who joined the '26th of July Movement'. 0:01:09.003,0:01:10.977 In the meantime a controversial election 0:01:10.977,0:01:12.842 and increasing unemployment in Cuba, 0:01:12.842,0:01:14.809 led to more and more anti-Batista riots, 0:01:14.809,0:01:16.936 although they weren't[br]necessarily socialist. 0:01:16.983,0:01:19.485 Batista responded by becoming[br]even more oppressive, 0:01:19.485,0:01:22.114 which led to even more people[br]calling for him to resign. 0:01:22.144,0:01:23.247 Back in Mexico, 0:01:23.247,0:01:25.974 the revolutionaries purchased[br]a small yacht named 'Granma' 0:01:25.974,0:01:27.637 and in November 1956, 0:01:27.637,0:01:29.047 82 men set sail for Cuba. 0:01:29.067,0:01:31.098 The Cuban government, however,[br]was aware 0:01:31.098,0:01:32.944 that the rebels were returning to Cuba 0:01:32.944,0:01:33.952 and attacked them. 0:01:33.952,0:01:36.972 Only a handful of them survived[br]to escape up into the mountains. 0:01:36.972,0:01:39.461 From their mountain base[br]they gathered new supporters 0:01:39.461,0:01:41.820 and launched guerrilla attacks[br]on military targets 0:01:41.820,0:01:44.051 Plus, foreign journalists[br]were allowed to visit 0:01:44.051,0:01:46.014 and along with their[br]pirate radio station, 0:01:46.014,0:01:48.251 this gave their struggle[br]international attention 0:01:48.251,0:01:50.204 and ultimately increased[br]their popularity. 0:01:50.204,0:01:51.609 Meanwhile, in the cities too, 0:01:51.609,0:01:54.268 new rebel groups were launching[br]attacks against Batista. 0:01:54.268,0:01:55.793 Angered and desperate, in 1958, 0:01:55.793,0:01:57.839 Batista sent a large army[br]into the mountains 0:01:57.839,0:02:00.153 to try and flush the rebels[br]out once and for all. 0:02:00.153,0:02:01.575 However, this was a disaster 0:02:01.575,0:02:04.632 and the hardened guerrilla fighters[br]were able to fight them back, 0:02:04.637,0:02:06.598 causing many in the Army[br]to switch sides. 0:02:06.608,0:02:09.041 The rebels then saw this [br]as the perfect opportunity 0:02:09.041,0:02:10.310 to launch a counterattack. 0:02:10.310,0:02:12.796 Che Guevara took control[br]of one arm of the rebel army 0:02:12.796,0:02:14.088 and headed to Santa Clara. 0:02:14.088,0:02:16.477 Cienfuegos took another[br]and marched into Yaguajay 0:02:16.477,0:02:18.551 and Castro followed[br]with the reinforcements. 0:02:18.551,0:02:20.525 As they passed[br]through towns and villages 0:02:20.525,0:02:22.166 they were largely welcomed, 0:02:22.166,0:02:24.409 demonstrating to the world[br]that Batista's regime 0:02:24.409,0:02:25.843 was on the brink of falling. 0:02:25.843,0:02:28.394 The international community[br]persuaded Batista to flee, 0:02:28.394,0:02:31.093 allowing the rebels to move[br]into Havana in January 1959, 0:02:31.093,0:02:32.278 relatively unopposed. 0:02:32.285,0:02:34.225 The revolutionaries took control of Cuba 0:02:34.225,0:02:37.259 and their leaders, Fidel, Raúl and Che,[br]consolidated their power 0:02:37.259,0:02:39.877 by wiping out all remnants[br]of Batista from the island, 0:02:39.877,0:02:42.370 and arrested and killed[br]many of those old supporters. 0:02:42.370,0:02:44.554 This, as well as a few other[br]repressive laws, 0:02:44.554,0:02:47.299 led to a large number[br]of people fleeing to the US. 0:02:47.339,0:02:49.439 On the other hand,[br]they nationalized the land 0:02:49.439,0:02:50.952 that was owned by US companies, 0:02:50.952,0:02:52.241 shut down the Mob's casinos 0:02:52.241,0:02:54.862 and set about reforming[br]and improving health facilities, 0:02:54.862,0:02:55.851 housing and schools. 0:02:55.871,0:02:58.075 These socialist policies[br]angered the Americans, 0:02:58.075,0:03:00.339 who decided to place[br]economic sanctions on them. 0:03:00.339,0:03:02.914 The US would also go on to aid[br]a group of Cuban exiles, 0:03:02.914,0:03:05.173 in an attempt[br]to oust Fidel Castro in 1962. 0:03:05.233,0:03:07.898 But, the infamous 'Bay of Pigs'[br]invasion was a disaster. 0:03:07.898,0:03:09.923 The aftermath[br]of the 'Bay of Pigs' invasion 0:03:09.923,0:03:12.374 Castro announced that Cuba [br]was a Socialist Republic 0:03:12.374,0:03:14.860 and rushed into seeking[br]an alliance with the Soviets. 0:03:14.860,0:03:17.854 and this friendship led to one[br]of the most infamous consequences 0:03:17.854,0:03:20.144 of the revolution:[br]'The Cuban Missile Crisis'. 0:03:20.144,0:03:23.090 The revolution spurred[br]on left-wing idealists in Latin America 0:03:23.090,0:03:24.528 whose actions indirectly 0:03:24.528,0:03:26.905 led to far-right reactionary dictatorships 0:03:26.905,0:03:28.926 countries like Argentina and Chile.