Mrs. Phillips
APWH –Per: 8th
3 April 2012
Chapter 33: Latin America: Revolution and Reaction into the 21st Century * The end of World War II was not a critical event since the region was only modestly involved * Brazil helped the U.S. steel industry during the war and that sector grew to compete directly with the U.S. by the 1970s * Several authoritarian regimes were challenged; one key example was Argentina * Mexico continued to be controlled by the PRI but by the end of the 20th century its hold began to loosen * A guerrilla movement popped up in the 1990s; meanwhile the government joined NAFTA in an effort to spur economic growth * The most important development in the decade after World War II was a surge of radical unrest, often of a socialist nature, and the Cold War framework came into play * This nation had some of the region’s worst problems, including illiteracy, poor health, and high mortality * Its economy depended almost exclusively on bananas and coffee * When leaders challenged the hegemony of U.S. economic interests with radical proposals, the latter nation intervened and backed a pro-U.S. regime, which rose to power * A series of military governments failed to resolve the nation's many woes * Although the island had periods of prosperity, the world market for sugar, Cuba’s main export, revealed the tenuous nature of its economy * A growing disparity between middle and lower economic classes underscored the nation's problems * Batista’s rule delivered little on promised reforms and opposition rose in various sectors * One of his opponents was Fidel Castro, who pledged real democracy, justice and prosperity for all * Castro and Che Guevara gained support from many sides and overthrew Batista * Castro established collective farms, confiscated property, and set up a communist system of repression supported by the U.S.S.R. A U.S.-sponsored intervention failed and