Communist Cuba began on January 1, 1959 when revolutionary forces drove out the previous dictator, Fulgencio Batista (who was supported by the United States), and replaced him with Fidel Castro, a communist, as the Prime Minister of Cuba.
Very quickly relations between Cuba and the United States deteriorated as Castro demonstrated his desire for control. For example although Castro had promised free elections, the elections never took place and Castro remained the Prime Minister. Also, Castro made it illegal to leave the island without government consent. On the other hand relations between the Soviet Union and Cuba were strengthened. In February 1960 Cuba signed a trading agreement with the Soviet Union which caused Cuba , instead of relying on the United States for support, to depended on the Soviet Union. In 1962 the Soviet Union stored nuclear weapons and some of their army on Cuba ( the Cuban Missile crisis) alarming the United States.
In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed. This was a heavy blow for Cuba, who considered the Soviet Union a valuable asset. However, the Cuban government survived, due to tourism and investments from Canada and European countries.
In February 2008 Fidel Castro officially stepped down and his brother ,Raul Castro, replaced him as Prime Minister. To this day Cuba remains communist.
Works Cited:
http://cuba.globalmuseumoncommunism.org/cuba/history?page=2
http://www.historytoday.com/john-swift/cuban-missile-crisis
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/castro-sworn-in
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