A Study On The Cuba-united States Relations In The Cartro’s Ear (1959-2008)

Cuba-United States relations in the Cartro’s Era have become one of the mostintriguing sets of bilateral relations since the Cold War in the international arena.Systematically investigating the issue, on the one hand, deepens the research ofCuba-United States relations; on the other hand, investigating helps understand theunevenly resisting between less powerful states and powerful states.In this thesis, methods relating to the study of history and international relationsare adopted to systematically introduce the evolution of Cuba-United States relations,and to analyze the multiple elements that affect these relations. Additionally,discussions about the influence of Cuba-United States relations over both countriesare illustrated.The text is divided into five chapters:Chapter1: The Cuban Revolution and the rupture of Cuba-United States"friendship". Due to the geography and resources of both states, trade between Cubaand the U.S. can be dated to the colonial times of both countries, and has expandedwith U.S, independence and growth. After the Spanish-United States War in1899, theU.S. replaced Spain as the "occupier" of Cuba. Afterwards, Cuba became a vassal ofthe U.S. in terms of economy and politics. It was not until Cuba’s victory of thedemocratic revolution in1959that such “historical process” in Cuba had been broken.Due to Castro’s radical nationalization reform that violated the economic interests ofthe other country, conflicts and confrontations had already been incurred; plusRussia’s intervention, the situation tensioned rapidly and finally resulted in the ruptureof the political relations.Chapter2: The periodic evolution of conflicts between the two countries’governments during the Castro period. This chapter divided the intense relationsbetween Cuba and the U.S in three stages by development. Specifically, the first stagestarted from Cuba breaking off diplomatic relations with the U.S. in1961until1962,the end of the Cuban Missile Crisis. During this time the conflict escalated from aneconomic and political one to a military confrontation. Needless to say, this is the most severe conflict in the two nations’ history. From the end of the Cuban MissileCrisis till before the Soviet Union collapsed is regarded as the second stage. It isremarkable that in some aspects this could be seen as a relative detente of the situationduring the Cold War. Both sides appeared to avoid severe confrontation, yet theconflict intensified over other disputes. The third stage is from the end of the ColdWar to Castro’s resignation in2008. Despite the situation remaining essentiallyunchanged, the collapse of the Soviet Union proved that Cuba is no longer a strategicthreat to the U. S. Thus the situation is developing towards a “potential detente”.Chapter3: Castro’s influence over the evolution of Cuba-United States relations.In this part, Cuba’s attribution to Cuba-United States relations is analyzed overCastro’s personal level and Cuba’s national level. In terms of Castro’s personalinfluence, his significant notions about democratic reform, socialist revolution,placement of Soviet missiles, and idea that against neoliberal globalization aresummarized and discussed. Over the national terms, evolutions about Cuba’simmigration policy, attitudes against America’s economic blockading, and foreignpolicy are systematically summarized and analyzed. To be brief, Cuba, as thedisadvantaged party in the confrontation, even if its president’s political conceptionsand the government’s domestic and foreign policies have important influence overCuba’s development and Cuba-United States relations, yet they could not determinethe developing trends of those relations, where in general such reactive decisions weremade to fight against the U.S.’s policies towards Cuba.Chapter4: The U.S.’s influence over the evolution of Cuba-United Statesrelations. America, as the more powerful party in the confrontation, its hostile attitudehad to a large extent deteriorated Cuba-United States relations. Policies towards Cubahave long been affected by three factors, namely American global strategy before andafter the Cold War, the American president’s political concepts, as well as expatiationsfrom American domestic interest groups after the Cold War. Being influenced by thesefactors, the U.S. has not only established the anti-Cuba legislation, but has also takenother actions against Cuba such as economic sanctions, diplomatic isolation andassassination. Chapter5: Other factors influence over the evolution of Cuba-United Statesrelations. This chapter searately from the country level, regional level, civil societyorganizations to explore Soviet Union, Latin American and Cuban-Americancommunity intervention for Cuba-United States relations. First of all, the SovietUnion is the most important external factors influenceing the development ofCuba-United States relations. Before the end of the1962Cuban missile crisis, theSoviet aid to Cuba’s economic, moral and the arrangement of the missile upgradeprompted the confrontation between the Cuba-United States relations; After Cubanmissile crisis, the United States made a promise to the Soviet Union not to invadeCuba, and the Soviet Union does not support Cuba to "output" revolution in LatinAmerica, These prompt Cuba-United relations is easing; After1970s, the Sovietunion through absorbing Cuba into the CMEA made Cuba’s development closelylinked with the Soviet Union, the Cuba-United States relations entered the stage ofpredictable detente. Second, the Latin America regional force is the important externalforces influenceing the development of Cuba-United States relations. Before the1970s, the U.S. used its control over American states to force those Latin Americanmembers imposing economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation over Cuba. From1970s afterwards, however, because Latin American countries sped up the pace ofdemocracy, and Cuba gave up its “Arms Output” reform’s strategy in Latin America,Latin American members of Organization of American States stopped supporting theU.S.’s anti-Cuba activities. Since the Cold War, the strength of the left in LatinAmerica has been rising, and political patterns tend to be more diversified.Consequently, Castro’s administration was generally accepted by each country, whichstrengthened their solidarity and cooperation in terms of politics and economy. Finally,Cuban American communities’ activities have also been regarded as factors thatinfluence the relations. Especially after the Cold War, they became the importantfactors that influence the U.S. government’s policies towards Cuba. Proofs could befound from America’s hostile policies after the Cold War. Finally, theCuban-American communities are the impact of the important factors of Cuba-UnitedStates relations, especially after the Cold War. After the Cold War, the United States has always insisted on the policy of blockade against Cuba has an importantrelationship with their activities.In short, the asymmetry of the Castro government during the history ofCuban-United States relations a national interests and foreign policy confrontation.During the Cold War, Soviet Union was the main factor leading to conflict betweenCuba and the United States. After the end of the Cold War, the domestic factors ofUnited States is the main factor leading to conflict between Cuba and the UnitedStates. The same time, other factors such as the regional power in Latin America andthe Cuban-American Societies non-governmental forces also species of theCuba-United States relations have an important impact. Final, in this confrontation,Cuba, as the weaker party, to pay a heavy price, but the regime still continues,although the United States is a strong one, but it is also the coexistence of gains andlosses. Make the judgment, the Cuba-United States relations are not fundamentalchange in a short period of time, but it will further towards the general direction.