Podcast Summary: American History Hit – “USA & Cuba: A Brief History”
Host: Don Wildman
Guest: Dr. Michael Bustamante, Bacardi Chair of Cuban Studies, University of Miami
Release Date: September 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode explores the complex and often turbulent relationship between the United States and Cuba. Host Don Wildman is joined by Dr. Michael Bustamante to take listeners through centuries of Cuban history, from the colonial era under Spain, through the wars of independence, U.S. occupation, the rise of Fidel Castro, the Cold War clash, and up to the lingering tensions and hopes in the 21st century. The discussion aims to clarify myths and reveal lesser-known truths about both Cuban nationalism and American intervention, placing current events in a deep historical context.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Laying the Historical Foundations: Colonial Cuba and Spanish Rule

• Columbus landed in Cuba in 1492, which then became a hub for Spanish transatlantic trade.
• Havana’s strategic location made it central for Spain’s New World empire, less for its direct production (tobacco/sugar came later) and more as a shipping outpost.
  • “Havana emerges as this place where… the fleet of Spanish ships… gathers… a stopping point before making the crossing [back to Spain].” (Bustamante, 07:17)
• The use of enslaved Africans and the brutal subjugation of Cuba’s indigenous people formed the foundation of Cuba's colonial economy.

2. The Reluctant Spanish Jewel and the Cuban Independence Struggle

• Despite independence movements sweeping Latin America, Spain clung to Cuba for economic reasons—mainly booming sugar following the decline of Haiti as a sugar producer after its successful revolution.
• Internal resistance and American interests both shaped Cuba’s fate.
• Cuba saw several failed independence bids before the final push in the 1890s, led by figures like José Martí.
  • “Martí… admires much about the United States, but… is also very wary of the United States seeking to cast its mantle over Cuba.” (Bustamante, 11:31)

3. U.S. Intervention: Spanish-American War and Its Aftermath (1898–1930s)

• The explosion of the USS Maine (1898) catalyzed American involvement, with yellow journalism fueling public outrage.
  • “It is the birth of yellow journalism. William Randolph Hearst and others flexing this new media influence…” (Wildman, 12:57)
• The Teller Amendment claimed the US had no intention of annexing Cuba, yet the Platt Amendment (inserted into the Cuban Constitution) guaranteed U.S. intervention rights and the lease of Guantanamo Bay.
• Economic penetration—by the early 20th century, American investments controlled significant sectors like sugar and railroads.
  • “Pretty soon, US Interests have controlling stakes in the most important economic sectors in the Cuban economy.” (Bustamante, 16:10)

4. Early 20th Century: Good Neighbor Policy, Nationalism, and Pre-Castro Revolution

• The 1930s saw Cuban struggles for more true sovereignty, culminating in the abrogation of the Platt Amendment amid popular revolution.
• U.S. influence persisted through the backing of pliant political figures like Fulgencio Batista.
• “Getting rid of the Platt Amendment was really important. If ever there’s a moment where Cuba's...democratic experiment flourishes, it's in the 1940s.” (Bustamante, 18:41)

5. The Cuban Revolution and the Cold War

• Batista’s corrupt regime (backed by the U.S. for his anti-communist stance) set the stage for revolution.
• Castro’s revolution was broad-based, not strictly communist at its conception—conflicted relationship with the Cuban Communist Party until after 1959.
  • “One of my pet peeves is when I hear about the communist revolution of 1959, it was not, at least in terms of self definition at the time.” (Bustamante, 28:03)
• The revolution resonated deeply in Cuban culture, but official history omits the roles of non-Castro anti-Batista groups.
  • “If you go to the Museum of the Revolution in Havana, there’s a lot that’s left out…” (Bustamante, 29:54)
• Initial US reaction was cautious optimism, but radical land reforms, nationalizations, and the growing rift sparked American hostility, leading to embargo and covert operations.
• “This revolution is not red. It is olive green, right? The color of our uniforms.” (Wildman [quoting Castro], 33:28)

6. Embargo, Exile, and High Cold War Tensions

• The U.S. embargo escalated in response to nationalizations; the tit-for-tat dynamic entrenched decades of hostility.
• “Absolutely, the nationalizations remain… a huge impediment to any long term rapprochement between the two countries.” (Bustamante, 36:08)
• The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962) was perceived in Cuba as a humiliation—Khrushchev and Kennedy negotiated without Castro’s input.
  • “Castro is livid… ‘Aren’t these missiles in my damn country? Shouldn’t I be at the table?’” (Bustamante, 41:16)

7. Global Reach and Propaganda: Cuba in the World

• Cuba engaged in internationalist missions (e.g., Angola), projecting itself as a sovereign revolutionary beacon despite reliance on Soviet aid.
• “They figure out a way to have their cake and eat it too and also test the Soviet Union’s patience constantly…” (Bustamante, 47:36)

8. Post-Soviet Cuba: Crisis, Survival, and Thaw

• Soviet collapse plunged Cuba into economic crisis (“Special Period”); reforms and tourism provided some relief, but chronic shortages remained.
• Obama’s 2016 normalization efforts marked a high point of hope and relative prosperity—for a moment.
  • “Those were relatively good times… the height of the Obama administration’s efforts to normalize ties.” (Bustamante, 53:04)

9. Contemporary US-Cuba Relations: Miami’s Shadow and Political Winds

• The Cuban American exile community in South Florida has wielded major influence on US policy, particularly as Florida was a swing state.
• “I think the thing Obama taught us is that also executive leadership matters… If you poll Cuban Americans and ask if the embargo has worked, the vast majority say, no, of course it hasn’t.” (Bustamante, 57:17)
• Normalization faltered under Trump and has been hamstrung by subsequent policy inertia.

10. The Human Element and Hopes for the Future

• Personal accounts from both speakers emphasize Cuban warmth, resilience, and the bittersweet hope of ordinary Cubans during moments of opening.
• “You have to understand that this is a very jubilant and vibrant culture that we’re talking about here.” (Wildman, 61:01)
• Hope surged during the thaw, but current hardship and emigration are causing its erosion.
  • “It was the only time… where I knew folks who had hope… Now… it’s tough sometimes, particularly at a moment as dire as this.” (Bustamante, 61:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cuban Nationalism:
  “‘Cuban nationalism and resistance against colonial forces was a big deal and a big part of their history…long before Castro.'” (Wildman, 12:57)

• On American Intervention:
  “Pretty soon, US interests have controlling stakes in the most important economic sectors...” (Bustamante, 16:10)

• On Revolution:
  “One of my pet peeves is when I hear about the communist revolution of 1959—it was not, at least in terms of self definition at the time." (Bustamante, 28:03)

• On the Cuban Missile Crisis:
  “Castro is livid… ‘Aren’t these missiles in my damn country? Shouldn’t I be at the table as you all are playing on the chessboard?’” (Bustamante, 41:16)

• On Cuban American Power:
  “They have also punched above their weight…in terms of their influence over the US policy process, vis-a-vis Cuba.” (Bustamante, 56:57)

• On the People:
  “It’s a very positive experience to be with Cubans… absent all the geopolitics…this is a very jubilant and vibrant culture…” (Wildman, 61:01)

• On Hope:
  “It was the only time… where I knew folks who had hope… Now… it’s tough sometimes, particularly at a moment as dire as this.” (Bustamante, 61:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:10 – Don’s 2015 trip to Cuba, Hemingway’s house, and a modern-day “Cuban Missile Crisis” at the door
• 05:01 – Introduction to Cuba’s revolutionary history prior to Castro
• 06:47 – How Cuba’s economic role changed under Spanish rule
• 10:53 – Cuban independence wars and early US ambitions
• 12:57 – USS Maine, yellow journalism, and the Spanish-American War
• 16:10 – US occupation and the Platt Amendment
• 18:41 – End of Platt Amendment and rise of Batista
• 23:55 – Batista's dictatorship and seeds of revolution
• 26:16 – The Cuban Communist Party pre-Castro
• 29:31 – The myth vs. the reality of the Cuban revolution’s origins
• 31:15 – The American reaction to Castro’s victory
• 34:46 – Cold War, embargo, and tit-for-tat escalation
• 40:30 – Cuban Missile Crisis debated
• 43:10 – The embargo's legacy and changing US policy
• 46:24 – Cuba’s global activism and foreign policy
• 50:34 – Soviet collapse, "Special Period," and economic transition
• 53:04 – Obama-era normalization and on-the-ground reality
• 56:57 – The evolving influence of the Cuban diaspora on US policy
• 60:38 – “A human note”—ordinary Cubans and the enduring sense of hope amid hardship

Conclusion

This episode provides a sweeping, accessible, and nuanced look at U.S.–Cuba relations through history, with personal insight and expert analysis. Both the host and guest highlight the cyclical nature of hope and disappointment in Cuba’s fate, and the often-misunderstood motivations and realities on both sides. The message resounds: Cuban history is defined as much by its own internal resilience and identity as by superpower shadowboxing, and the warmth and ingenuity of its people shine through despite political storm clouds.