I find it interesting that while neither Castro nor Batista were worth much, we supported Batista and not Castro.
Batista's government was corrupt and the people were poor with no health insurance or government help.
While Castro has done what little, (granted little) for his people while the US government gave no help whatsoever. Shutting them off completely from trade or help of any kind.
At least they have good health coverage. Makes me wonder what might have been with our trade and support.
They may never have looked to Russia at all.
The US shut them off as soon as Castro's revolution was successful, not after Castro committed some kind of injustice.

fANTA....iM wondering about this great health coverage cuba has.....

the people can go to the doctor......but THEY CANT AFFORD THE MEDICATIONS!!!!! So how good is their free health care???

GYPSY, I have no idea? DID I say it was great?
I dont think I did, I just remarked that they had it!
You are right there is a ban against travel to Cuba by Americans. If, and they do go, they must go through another country. It is illegal for travel directly from the US.

Glen, correct me if I am wrong, but Castro was in bed with the Soviets and was supplied weapons by them. Batista was a "friendly" due to the fact that he was anti-communist and a little over a stone's throw from Florida.I shudder to think that we would only be interested in supporting governments as honest and reputable as ours. The next step is to go into what happened at the bay of pigs. Sounds like my ex-wife at the beach.

well you stated that at least they have good health coverage....

No, you didnt say it was great but you did say it was good!!!

That is correct Glen. My mother went through the DR.

I did say it was good. didnt I?
Oh well......
I didnt know they couldnt get medication, but with no trade to the US, how will they ever have money?

Im still looking into why the US quit relations with them...

The 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion (also known in Cuba as the Playa Girón after the beach in the Bay of Pigs where the landing took place) was an unsuccessful attempted invasion by armed Cuban exiles in southwest Cuba, planned and funded by the United States. An attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro, this action accelerated a rapid deterioration in Cuban-American relations, which was further worsened by the Cuban Missile Crisis the following year. The name Bay of Pigs comes from Bahía de Cochinos, where in all probability "Cochino" refers to a species of Triggerfish (Balistes vetula) [1], rather than pigs (Sus scrofa).

Will you two stop? I'm gonna ask you to spank each other here shortly.

I know about Bay of the Pigs, Kennedy hung them out to dry, by saying he would provide fighter support for the CIA's Bombers, and then cancelling it at the last moment, while the planes were warming up on the Carrier Deck.

Oh btw I did win a beauty contest in Cuba......and I laugh about this now because I didnt win it for beauty I won it for my sense of humour!!!!

Man, I would like to keep up here Glen and Gypsy but its late. See you guys tomorrow!

peace steve. see you around.

I can see that happening Gypsy, you should have taken it all. Nite all!

You bet, see ya pal.

u see guys how a good debate can be held

OK, the US stop sales of weapons and ammo to Batista's army, which led to Castro defeating his Army.
Then Eisenhower immediately recognized Castro's government, but relations quickly deteriorated when Castro nationalized American owned industries. He lifted the The Platt amendment from the Cuban Constitution, which stipulated that the United States could exercise the right to intervene in Cuban political, economic and military affairs if necessary.
I guess we didn't like that, because soon after we stopped all trade and relations with them.
We helped them end Spanish rule there, and had been trying to buy the Island for years. Castro's revolution ended all hopes of that ever happening.

That dude Batista ran off with more than 300 million dollars of Cuban money!
Wow, thats a lot today, but in 1958, that was a huge amount.

The more I read, the more I see, that our problems with Castro result from him wanting to Nationalize Cuba, and us wanting the island for ourselves.

They did basically steal American's property though, in his efforts to nationalize! That was a long time ago, and I would say its past time to talk, and try to normalize relations with them.
Actually in 1964 Castro tried to talk with Johnson, and sent him this message, but it was turned down:

"I seriously hope that Cuba and the United States can eventually respect and negotiate our differences. I believe that there are no areas of contention between us that cannot be discussed and settled within a climate of mutual understanding. But first, of course, it is necessary to discuss our differences. I now believe that this hostility between Cuba and the United States is both unnatural and unnecessary - and it can be eliminated."

Yes, and America has it's share of political prisoners (Even BEFORE 911 - remember Cointelpro?) - and we've killed more civilians - (about 8 million) than Hitler, since the end of WW2.
We're more opressed here than in some overt totalitarian countries - we're just too stupid and proud to realise it.