Cuba and the United StatesThe island of Cuba has been a focal point of American foreign policy since the acquisition of Florida in the late 1800s. Cuba continues to capture the attention of America as it is the only communist state existing in the Western Hemisphere. U.S. policy has attempted to overthrow the communist regime in Cuba since its inception in 1961. Policies designed to incite revolution, destroy the Cuban economy, and starve the Cuban people appear to be at odds with American ideals of democracy and sovereignty. Indeed, it was precisely the policies implemented by the United States that strengthened and prolonged Fidel Castro's reign in Cuba. The relationship between the United States and Cuba is paradoxical in that its very foundations are antidemocratic. The United States has never supported the right of the Cuban people to self-govern and has now adopted a position that attempts to impose on Cuba the political ideals it deems safe. This examination hopes to explain the context of that relationship and the state in which it exists now. Foreign policy in Cuba is fascinating as it is a story unlike any other in the history of the United States. The ability of a small island to dominate the foreign policy concerns of a world power is certainly a matter of investigation. The obsession with the island of Cuba itself is nothing new in the United States. Over the past three decades, the small island, just 92 miles off the coast of Florida, has shaped American foreign policy. Cuba's geographic location and political structure place it at odds with the United States on all fronts. Cuba's close proximity to the U.S. coast puts it at the forefront of national security concerns. The map provides a clear......middle of paper......and Secretary General of the United Nations. September 20, 1995.MacGaffey, Wyatt. 20th century Cuba: the backdrop to the Castro revolution. New York: Anchor Books, 1965. Manach, Jorge. Marti: Apostle of Freedom. New York: Devin-Adair, 1950. Matthews, Herbert. Cuban history. New York: Harcourt, 1961. Matthews, Herbert. Fidel Castro. New York: Harcourt, 1969. Matthews, Herbert. The fruits of fascism. New York: Harcourt, 1943.Mills, C. Wright. Listen, Yankee. New York: Ballantine Books, 1961. Myers, Steven. “Clinton Allows Media to Open to Cuba.” New York Times, February 13, 1997. A6.Oppenheimer, Albert. Castro's last hour. New York: Macmillan, 1992. Oppenheimer, Albert. "Castro increasingly loses contact with Cuba." The Miami Herald. July 28, 1992, A12.Phillips, Ruby. The Cuban dilemma. New York