Some say he is a great leader, but others believe he is a bully and a true oppressor.
Regardless, in order to stay in power for as long as he has, he must have all the qualities of .
a great leader. These qualities were proven when he took control of Cuba in 1959 and .
established a communist dictatorship. (Gale Research,1998) .
He was Born in Mayari on August 13, 1927. As a boy he worked on his family's .
sugar Plantation. Castro went to the University of Havana in 1945 and earned his degree .
in law. Castro then married Mirta Diaz Balart. They had only one son. Soon after they .
had their son, his wife divorced him in 1955.(Gale Research,1998).
As a lawyer he defended the poor and he was a candidate for the Cuban Congress. .
He did not get in congress because Batista canceled the elections. Castro and his brother .
Raul, bought guns out of their pockets for 150 people. They assaulted an army barracks in .
Santiago de Cuba, and went to jail for it. Castro then went into exile. They reorganized,.
and about 80 soldiers were killed in another fight. Castro and other survivors escaped into .
the mountains. For two years they escaped guerilla warfare.(Gale Research,1998) .
Castro's rival, Batista fled on January 1,1959 because his army finally collapsed, .
and was unable to count on the support of the United States. This made the way for .
Castro's rise to power. Castro declared that Cuba would not be ruled by a dictator, but his .
government was a communist dictatorship. He had his enemies executed and imprisoned .
for being disloyal to him.(Gale Research,1998) .
Castro took over property that was .
Owned by United States. On April 1961 Cubans exiled to the United States. .
United States invaded Cuba in attempt to overthrow Castro. Castro and his .
Forces defeated them at the Bay of Pigs. Castro was able to consolidate his .
Power. Cuba aligned itself with the Soviet Union, which granted Cuba .
Massive economic, technical, and military assistance.