Today, the Caribbean island state of Cuba is an independent republic. Cuba was first ruled by the Spanish and later by the USA before the island gained its independence under Fidel Castro in the 20th century. He grew up in privileged conditions but already while studying law he engaged in political activity. He fought against the corrupt dictator Batista, who was supported by the USA, and later against the USA itself, and during the “Cold War he is a loyal but dependent ally of the Soviet Union. In 1962, the world is on the brink of an atomic war. As a consequence of the break up of the USSR and the continued embargo by the USA, the island sinks into poverty. Castro remains in power although he encounters more and more resistance in his own country. In 2008, he abdicates due to illness. The didactic DVD “Dictatorships in the 20th Century III – Fidel Castro“ tells the story of the man whose life is inseparably linked to the history of the island of Cuba in the 20th century. Together with the extensive accompanying material the DVD is ideally suited for use in the classroom.
