Kasatkina K. Transformation of U.S. Policy towards Cuba (1953 – 1979)

The dissertation is devoted to a comprehensive study of the transformation of U.S. policy towards Cuba in the period from 1953 to 1979. The research focuses on the analysis of factors which influenced the formation of the U.S. Cuban policy and determined the nature of its transformation in a given period. In a retrospective review was considered the U.S. policy towards Cuba on the previous period. It has been clarified the place of the Latin American region and Cuba among the US foreign policy priorities. The study describes the Cuban revolutionary events for 1953 – 1959, which affected the attitude of the United States towards the Fulgencio Batista`s government, the Cuban opposition and the rebels led by Fidel Castro. It has been established major factors that influenced to changing the U.S. attitude towards the Cuban government and led to an adjustment of its position on the revolution events in Cuba. There is also described the analytical work of the American diplomats on the establishment of effective cooperation between Washington and Havana at the end of 1950s.The dissertation analyzes preconditions and causes for the emergence of the U.S.-Cuban contradictions in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The general description is given events of Cuban Missile Crisis and specific aspects of the regulation of this crisis by John F. Kennedy`s administration. The study considers the U.S. policy towards the Castro`s regime after the Cuban Missile Crisis. There are described attempts to establish a secret dialogue between the U.S. and Cuba in 1960s – 1970s. There are characterized new approaches that emerged in the U.S. Cuban policy in the 1960s. The research describes the principles of forming US-Cuban relations during the period of détente. The study identifies and analyzes key issues that threatened to restore US-Cuban relations in 1970s. As a result of the research the author comes to the conclusion, that the U.S. policy towards Cuba in 1953 – 1979 was transformed from the Latin American dimension to the U.S.-Soviet confrontations dimension. It was gradual and took place in several stages. During this period, the United States had used different approaches and methods in its policy towards Cuba. It was a combination methods of political and economic pressure, secret operations against the Fidel Castro`s regime with attempts to establish a hidden dialogue between Washington and Havana.