| Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz was born on August 31, | | | | missile preparations in Cuba, Cuba's economy suffered |
| 1926 on the Caribbean island of Cuba, a Spanish | | | | a decline because of a naval blockade ordered by U.S. |
| speaking country with an estimated population of 11.3 | | | | President Kennedy. As a result of the blockade, Cuba |
| million citizens. He eventually became the greatest | | | | became increasingly dependent on the U.S.S.R. Castro |
| Marxist revolutionary leader of Cuba as he led the | | | | also implemented reforms such as the nationalization |
| small island into the global community where it has | | | | of industry and property. An anti-Castro community |
| affected international decisions and played a significant | | | | created in the U.S. by Cuban middle-class members |
| role in the world's history over the past four decades. | | | | and the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990 brought much |
| As a young boy Fidel worked in his family's sugar | | | | hardship to Cuba. Another disappointment before that |
| cane fields and, at the age of 6, convinced his parents | | | | time was the capture of "Che" Guevara in Bolivia in |
| to let him go to school. He was intelligent and willing to | | | | 1967, for it extinguished Castro's dream of extending |
| learn, but he had inherited his father's temperament | | | | the revolution throughout Latin American. |
| which consisted of extreme violence and unpredictable | | | | Many more amazing and interesting facts about Fidel |
| tantrums. After attending two Jesuit institutions and a | | | | Castro could be found in our recent release of The |
| preparatory school in Havana where he was declared | | | | World's Biggest Fidel Castro FACTS Collection at |
| the school's best athlete, he attended the University of | | | | Castro was listed at the top in the "Alleged |
| Havana's Faculty of Law in 1945. There he earned a | | | | Assassination Plots Involving Foreign Leaders," an act |
| law degree, which was soon put to use when he went | | | | that represented new U.S rules for assassination as |
| into practice in Havana in 1950. As a lawyer Fidel | | | | an instrument of foreign policy. Johnny Roselli was |
| devoted himself to helping the poor. During this period | | | | contacted by the C.I.A in 1960 to help "return the good |
| Fidel also married Mirtha DÃaz Balart on October | | | | old days to Cuba." Rumors declare that the C.I.A used |
| 12, 1948 in a Roman Catholic ceremony, but their | | | | cigars contaminated with heavy toxins such as |
| marriage did not last, most likely because she was | | | | botulinum, along with explosive sea shells, a poisoned |
| inadvertently involved with the Batista regime. | | | | scuba diving suit, and a gang style drive-by shooting in |
| The political career of Fidel Castro began when he | | | | their attempts to assassinate the Cuban leader. A few |
| initiated a revolution against President Fulgencio Batista | | | | historians claim Kennedy created an obsession with |
| on July 26, 1953 after being rejected the opportunity to | | | | the assassination of Castro, and that with the help of |
| campaign for a parliamentary seat in the election of | | | | the C.I.A, he managed to recruit a man close to Castro |
| 1952. After the uprising, Fidel was sentenced to thirty | | | | named Rolando Cubela, known as Amlash, to do the |
| years in jail for his violent actions against the President, | | | | job. After this attempt was abandoned, Kennedy |
| and this day is commemorated today as a national | | | | seems to have arranged secret negotiations for |
| holiday in Cuba. On the 15th of May 1955 he was | | | | peace with Fidel Castro. |
| released due to a general amnesty. He attempted to | | | | Fidel Castro has recently started to have health |
| fight the political and military regime using fair, peaceful | | | | problems as a result of his old age and several past |
| means at first, but then later he organized a resistance | | | | operations. Doctors have worked especially diligently to |
| fighting force in Mexico which he named the 26th of | | | | diminish problems with his digestive system. According |
| July Revolutionary Movement. From the 2nd of | | | | to Dr. Jose Luis Garcia Sabrido, a Spanish doctor, |
| December, when his first attack took place, to New | | | | Castro can return to normal activities if he makes a full |
| Year's Day of 1959, his movement grew to a force of | | | | recovery. There are rumors that Castro is dead, but |
| 800 men as it scored victory after victory. A defeated | | | | Cuban officials strictly deny this. In fact, according to |
| Batista was forced to flee the country, and a | | | | doctors who have been treating Castro, his health is |
| victorious Castro entered Havana, laying the | | | | improving. |
| foundation for a new government which was | | | | Castro is now in his 80's, and many Cuba people fear |
| recognized by the United States on January 7, 1959. | | | | the changes that will come after his death. Cuba does |
| Popular support from the people was Fidel Castro's | | | | not hold open elections, and Castro has appointed his |
| greatest advantage against the attempt by the United | | | | brother to be his successor. Of all the things Castro |
| States on the 17th of April 1961 to destabilize Castro's | | | | has given Cuba over these years, he will be most |
| government. The C.I.A. and the 1300 men it had | | | | remembered for giving it hope, freedom, and dignity. |
| prepared invaded Cuba through the Bay of Pigs, but | | | | Regardless of the world view on Castro, he will go |
| the invasion failed when the general population did not | | | | down in the history books as the first leader of a |
| rise against Fidel Castro as hoped. After the Cuban | | | | Communist State in the Western Hemisphere as well |
| Missile Crisis of October 1962, in which the United | | | | the the leader who held the power longer than anyone |
| States government discovered the Soviet Union's | | | | else. |