The migration of nearly one million Cubans to the United States since 1959 was triggered primarily by complex revolutionary changes in Cuba, and the United States' response to such changes, which included, among other measures, encouraging the migration. In addition to ostensibly humanitarian reasons, every administration from Eisenhower to Reagan has, in one way or another, welcomed refugees from Cuba in order to attain political objectives against Fidel Castro's revolution. Although those objectives have varied through the years, at least two have remained constant: (1) to destabilize Castro's government by draining it of vital human resources (e.g.: physicians, teachers, technicians) and (2) to discredit the revolution through the flight of thousands from a "Communist" to a "free" country. Castro, on the other hand, has also used the migration as an escape valve to rid Cuba of internal enemies, and unproductive citizens. / This study analyzes the political dynamics at work during the migration by focusing on the unusual events and episodes that have made it in many ways unique: The Unaccompanied Children's Program, the Camarioca boatlift of 1965, the airlift of 1965-1973, and the Mariel boatlift of 1980. A comparative perspective is provided through analysis of the Haitian and Central American refugee crises of the late 1970s and early 1980s. In addition, the following events affecting Cuba-United States relations are also discussed at some length: The Cold War, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Missile Crisis, and the dialogue between Cuba's revolutionary government and the Cuban exile community. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: A, page: 0285. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_75735 |
| Contributors | MASUD-PILOTO, FELIX ROBERTO., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 253 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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