The Struggle for Democracy in Cuba: The RepublicI N T RODUC T ION

M . FON T

T HE B I LDN ER CEN T ER FOR WEST ER N HEM I SPHER E ST UDI ES

Chronology (1893-1933)1898: Treaty of Paris Ending Spanish American War

1901: Spain withdraws from Cuba, U.S. admin.

1901: Platt Amendment

1902-1906: President Tomás Estrada Palma; U.S. Governor William H. Taft/Charles Magoon administer Cuba with help of U.S. troops

1909-1913: José Miguel Gómez; Independent Colored Union Uprising; U.S. Marines

1913-1916: Mario Garcia Menocal; Liberal revolt over election fraud; U.S. Marines

1921: Alfredo Zayas

1924-1933: Gerardo Machado

1929-1933: Uprising topples President Machado; U.S. Secretary of State Welles and Revolutionary leaders name Carlos Manuel Cespedes as interim president

1933: Sergeants revolt, Ramón Grau San Martín appointed provisional president; deposed by Sergeant/Colonel Batista

Chronology (1933-1958)1934: Platt Amendment abrogated under Treaty of Relations; Treaty of Reciprocity guarantee Cuba a share of U.S. sugar market

1935: Resignation of President Mendieta

1936: Election of Miguel Mariano Gómez followed by his impeachment engineered by Fulgencio Batista; Vice President Federico Laredo Brú serves remainder of Gomez’s turn

1940: Election of Fulgencio Batista

1944: Election of Ramón Grau San Martín

1948: Election of Carlos Prío Socarrás

1952: Golpe de Estado by Batista; inaugurates himself President

1956: Castro and 82 followers land in Cuba; Revolutionary Student Directorate storms the presidential palace in assassination attempt

1958: U.S. Arms support withdrawn

1958: Batista goes into exile; Castro enters Havana

Cuban Presidents NAME

Tomás Estrada Palma

José Miguel Gómez

Mario Garcia Menocal

Alfredo Zayas

Gerardo Machado

Carlos Manuel de Cespedes

Ramón Grau San Martín

Carlos Mendieta

Miguel Mariano Gómez

Fulgencio Batista

Ramón Grau San Martín

Carlos Prío Socarrás

DATES

May 20, 1902-Sept. 28 1906

Jan. 28, 1909-May 20, 1913

May 20, 1913-May 20, 1921

May 20, 1921-May 20, 1925

May 20, 1925-Aug. 12, 1933

Aug. 12, 1933-Sept. 2, 1933

Sept. 10, 1933-Jan. 14, 1934

Jan. 18, 1934-Dec. 11, 1935

May 20, 1936-Dec. 23, 1936

Oct. 10, 1940-Oct. 10, 1944

Oct. 10, 1944-Oct. 10, 1948

Oct. 10, 1948-Mar. 10, 1952

American Occupation 1898-1902In 1908, U.S. occupation troops camp in front of the Presidential Palace in Havana. The

U.S. flag is displayed.

1902: Tomás Estrada Palma elected President

1907: Partido Independiente de Color is the first race-based political party

1923: Pilar Morlón serves as President at the first National Women’s Congress in Havana

1924-1933: President Machado and the Revolution of 1933.

The Revolution of 1933

1933: Student rally at University of Havana

1933: Armed students

1933: Angry mob attacks a government run newspaper

1951: Funeral procession in Havana for Eduardo Chibas, leader of the Ortodoxos