When did Cuba become a nation?
It won its independence from Spain at the end of the 19th century — but only because of U.S. intervention. In the 1898 Spanish-American War, the U.S. supported the Cuban rebels who had been struggling for independence for years, and the powerful U.S. military drove the Spaniards out. But the help came with a price. After a brief occupation, the U.S. recognized an independent Cuban government but maintained a naval base at Guantánamo Bay and forbade Cuba from making treaties with other countries. American dollars poured in, and American corporations snapped up sugar plantations. In the 1930s, amid political turmoil, Cuban army Sgt. Fulgencio Batista seized power in a coup with the full support of the U.S. From the 1930s to the 1950s, Cuba became a playground for wealthy Americans.
Who went to Cuba?
At that time, Havana was the swingingest city in the hemisphere, known as the Paris of the Americas. Snazzy casinos and hotels run by Meyer Lansky, Lucky Luciano, and other American mob figures dotted Havana, and Hollywood stars like Ava Gardner and Marlon Brando filled them up, dancing, drinking, and going to cabarets and horse races.
