US CUBA RELATIONS PRE REVOLUTION

1898: US declares war on Spain

1898: Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris; Spain renounced all rights to Cuba

1902: Cuba becomes 'independent' with Tomas Estrada Palma as its president. .

1901: The Platt Amendment This agreement keeps Cuba under US protection and gives the US the right to intervene in Cuban affairs.

1906-1909: Estrada resigns and the US occupies Cuba following a rebellion led by Jose Miguel Gomez

1909: Jose Miguel Gomez becomes president following elections supervised by the US, but is soon tarred by corruption.

1912: US forces return to Cuba to help put down black protests against discrimination.

1933: Gerardo Machado is overthrown in a coup led by Sergeant Fulgencio Batista.

1934: The US abandons its right to intervene in Cuba's internal affairs, revises Cuba's sugar quota and changes tariffs to favour Cuba.

1953: Fidel Castro leads an unsuccessfu l revolt against the Batista regime.

1956: Castro lands in eastern Cuba from Mexico and takes to the Sierra Maestra mountains where, aided by Ernesto "Che" Guevara, he wages a guerrilla war.

1958: The US withdraws military aid to Batista

1959: Castro leads a 9,000-strong guerrilla army into Havana, forcing Batista to flee. Castro becomes prime minister.