The Dawn of Castro's Rule in Cuba

On January 1, 1959, after a sustained armed revolt led by Fidel Castro and others took control over most of the country, Fulgencio Batista fled Havana, marking the end of one era and the beginning of another. With the departure of the despised dictator, there was initially hope that life in Cuba would improve. But sadly, that was not to be. William Lenderking arrived in Havana in March 1959 as the most junior officer in the embassy, just two months after Castro's triumphant march into the city. Lenderking witnessed how optimism quickly gave way to fear and repression as the new government began indoctrinating youth and instituting widespread control over libraries, newspapers, and magazines. Lenderking concludes that Castro was never truly interested in good relations with the United States. He was interviewed by Charles Stuart Kennedy beginning in March 2007. You can read about Kathleen Turner's experiences in Castro's Cuba as a little girl.