FRONTLINE WITH JUDY WOODRUFF: CRISIS IN CENTRAL AMERICA: CASTRO'S CHALLENGE {PART 2 OF 4} (TV)
Summary
One in this series of documentary films. Part two of this special four-part documentary hosted by Judy Woodruff, which chronicles the history of the United States' involvement in Central America. This installment focuses on the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro, which made Cuba the first Communist state in the Western Hemisphere. Accompanied by archival footage, news clips, and still photographs, the following topics are addressed: pre-revolution Cuba under the Batista regime; Cuba as a model for future Central American revolutions; the deterioration of U.S.-Cuban relations after the revolution and the establishment of relations between Cuba and the Soviet Union; the restabilization of post-revolution Cuba; the "Bay of Pigs"; the Cuban missile crisis; the impact of the Cuban revolution on future U.S. policies toward Latin American affairs; Castro's aid to Third World countries and support of any revolution; the power struggles involved in achieving stability after a rebellion; the U.S.'s role in Cuban affairs and its attempts to end Castro's regime; and Castro's unorthodox economic agenda and the effects that his policies have had on on the lifestyle of the Cuban people. Those interviewed include Carlos Rafael Rodr’guez, a Cuban Communist Party member in the 1950s; Armando Hart, Castro's minister of education; Dr. Felipe Pazos, president of the National Bank of Cuba and signer of the manifesto with Castro; Huber Matos, commander of Castro's guerilla forces; Manuel Ray, leader in Urban Underground against Batista and a member of Castro's original cabinet; Carlos Franqui, editor of "Revoluci—n"; U.S. Asst. Sec. of State R. Richard Rubottom; Gen. Vernon Walters, deputy director of the CIA; Robert Pastor, National Security Council staff member; Marxist philosopher RŽgis Debray; writers Reinaldo Arenas and Rene Cifuentes, both Cuban exiles in 1980; sugar cane worker Manuel Mendez; and Ricardo Alarc—n, Cuban vice minister of foreign relations. Clips include Castro's speeches and television broadcasts; James C. Hagerty, press secretary to former Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower; Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson delivering a speech on May 2, 1965; and Sen. Frank Church, Vice Pres. Richard Nixon, Pres. John F. Kennedy, Che Guevara, and Dizzy Gillespie. Also included are the following news clips and footage: a newsreel entitled "Universal-International News: Cuba in Crisis: Castro Attacks U.S. as Opposition Rises," narrated by Ed Herlihy; an Oct. 1962 newsreel entitled "Universal-International News: The Red Threat: President Orders Cuban Blockade"; and footage from Cuban archives -- never before seen in the U.S. -- including a news clip entitled "1953 26 De Julio," which reports on Castro's first unsuccessful rebellion against Batista's army. The program concludes with Castro's speech in 1980 at the Sandinista's first anniversary celebration of their victorious Nicaraguan revolution.
Acquisition and cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Preservation of the Post–World War II American Television Documentary Collection is supported in part by a Federal Save America’s Treasures grant administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: April 10, 1985 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:57:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T91:0191
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Bay of Pigs Invasion, Cuba, 1961; Communism; Cuba - Economic conditions; Cuba - History; Cuba - Politics and government - 1959-; Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962; Marxism; Nicaragua - History - Revolution, 1979; She Made It Collection (Judy Woodruff); U S Central Intelligence Agency (CIA); U S - Foreign relations - Central America; U S - Foreign relations - Cuba
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1983-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Neal B. Freeman … Executive Producer
- David Fanning … Executive Producer
- Austin Hoyt … Executive Producer
- Elizabeth Deane … Senior Producer
- Marilyn Hornbeck Mellowes … Producer, Writer
- Kathryn Dietz … Associate Producer
- Ed Joyce … Animation
- Judy Woodruff … Host
- James Nelson Goodsell … Reporter, Chief Correspondent
- Will Lyman … Narrator
- Peter Haydu … Voice-over, For translation
- Michael McNally … Voice-over, For translation
- Don Wescott … Voice-over, For translation
- Ed Herlihy … Voice-over, In news clip
- Ricardo Alarcon
- Reinaldo Arenas
- Batista Zaldivar, Fulgencio
- Fidel Castro
- Frank Church
- Rene Cifuentes
- Regis Debray
- Carlos Franqui
- James C. Hagerty
- Armando Hart
- Lyndon B. Johnson
- Huber Matos
- Manuel Mendez
- Robert Pastor
- Felipe Pazos
- Manuel Ray
- Carlos Rafael Rodriguez
- R. Richard Rubottom
- Vernon Walters