Previous image preload Next image preload
Back to catalog
Lot 387
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3
Castro Letter To Khrushchev for Creating the Powerful Cuba-Russia Alliance
Castro Letter To Khrushchev for Creating the Powerful Cuba-Russia Alliance
image_0 image_1 image_2 image_3
Description:

Fidel Castro
Havana, Cuba, May 27, 1960
Castro Letter To Khrushchev for Creating the Powerful Cuba-Russia Alliance
AL
Historically-important autograph letter by Fidel Castro, three pages, 8.5" x 11", Havana, May 27, 1960, to Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev, in Spanish on "Instituto Nacional De Reforma Agraria." Rusted paperclip impression at top left corner of the first page, otherwise in very good condition. Castro's cross-outs and revisions show the keen craftsman of the language and the propagandist that he was, and at left is a side note which is worthy of examination and translation.

Beneath Khrushchev's address, Castro writes a letter of thanks to Nikita Khrushchev for his role in creating an alliance which had been formalized on May 8, 1960, less than three weeks prior to this letter. In full: "…Dear Friend, with the President of the Special Mission Captain [Antonio] Núñez [Jiménez], I thank you in the name of the Revolutionary Government of Cuba for your repeated and prompt statements in favor of our revolution, which have been very highly regarded and appreciated by our people. I am also very grateful for the special message reported to me by Mr. [illegible], as well as the invitation extended to me to visit the Soviet Union, which, when I make it, as soon as possible, will satisfy one of our great desires.

For our part, we hope your visit to Cuba will be a great event in our country. The widespread and impassioned coverage received by our revolution in the Soviet Union, the numerous publications in our favor in magazines and newspapers, together with all the other acts...and so many other reasons, which together with the...and fair commercial treaty...your interest in understanding our requests for supplies in any order, and so many other acts for which I extend my personal thanks to the Soviet People, and which the people of Cuba will show you during your subsequent visit. I wish you the greatest success in your relentless struggle for peace and friendship among all peoples of the world."

The story behind this message puts subsequent history into perspective: after secretly drawing up his Land Reform Law in 1959, Castro used it to form the National Institute of Agrarian Reform (INRA) with broad and ill-defined powers. Through the INRA Castro methodically seized all American holdings in Cuba. As this continued, Castro was engineering a brilliant propaganda campaign aimed at accusing the United States of "conspiring with the counter revolutionaries against the Castro regime". Castro's ability to whip the masses into frenzy with wispy fallacies about American "imperialist" action against Cuba was his main asset: he constantly found events with which he could work the "ol Castro magic", in the words of Nixon, to manipulate into another item on the long list of grievances, real or imagined, that Cuba had suffered.

Up until early 1960, the US had followed a policy of non-intervention in Cuba and, despite the slander and seizure of lands, the goal was to still maintain relations. This ended on March 4, 1960 when the French munition ship La Coubre arrived at Havana laden with arms and munitions for the Cuban government. It promptly exploded, with serious loss of life. Some observers concluded that the disaster was due to the careless way the Cubans unloaded the cargo, but Castro and his authorities wasted no time in venomously denouncing the US for an overt act of sabotage.

From retaining relations with Cuba, the US turned to overthrowing Castro, and the controversial decision was made to allow the CIA to recruit and train ex-Cuban exiles for anti-Castro military service. At the same time, Cuba had formalized an alliance with Russia on May 8, 1960.

In June 1960, and just weeks after this letter, the US started a series of economic aggressions toward Cuba aimed at accelerating their downfall. The first of these measures was the US refusal to process crude petroleum that Cuba was receiving from its ally, the Soviet Union. Upon receiving the refusal, Che Guevara, the newly-appointed head of the National Bank, seized all three major oil company refineries and began producing all the Soviet cruder. This move was an economic victory and brought Cuba one step closer to controversial alliance with Russia.

On July 6, a week after the intervention of the refineries, President Eisenhower ordered the balance of Cuba's 1960 sugar quota for the supply of sugar to the US to be suspended as a reprisal to the intervention of the refineries. This act not only broke the US record for diplomacy in Latin America, it virtually forced Cuba into Russia's arms. The immediate loss to Cuba was 700,000 tons of sugar unsold valued at a staggering $100,000,000.

Novelist Ernest Hemingway foresaw the recklessness in Eisenhower's act and quipped: "I just hope to Christ that the United States doesn't cut the sugar quota. That will really tear it. It will make Cuba a gift to the Russians." Indeed it did, and the Russian "gift" came in the form of direct aid of Cuba which cemented the Soviet-Cuban alliance, giving a the Russians a historical polito-military stake in the country…and Cuban Revolution.

On July 9, 1960, just three days after President Eisenhower's sugar proclamation, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev announced "The USSR is raising its voice and extending a helpful hand to the people of Cuba...speaking figuratively in case of necessity Soviet artillerymen can support the Cuban people with rocket fire." The subsequent increased arms shipments from the USSR and Czechoslovakia enabled Castro to rapidly strengthen and expand his forces.

Antonio Núñez Jiménez (1923-1998) was a Cuban scientist, revolutionary and the Director of the INRA. A geologist by training who discovered the biggest cave in Cuba in the 1950s, Núñez emerged from the academic field of research of caves to prepare for military operations. His studies contributed to preparing the theater of operations and appointment as Captain in the rebel army. Núñez is particularly remembered for his studies leading up to Column 8 "Ciro Redondo," the military order from Castro to Che Guevara to invade Las Mercedes on August 21, 1958. In this offensive, Castro directed Che to: "…fight unceasingly in the central section of Cuba and to intercept the enemy until it totally paralyzes the movements of those troops throughout the land, from west to east."

Nikita Khrushchev (1894-1971) was the first secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and chairman of the Council of Ministers. His rise to power coincided with one of the darkest periods in Soviet history, when Stalin began a series of bloody purges to consolidate his power. Eventually, Khrushchev would control the Communist party, coming to power in 1953.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE

  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: AL

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000