A Boy from Birán
On a warm summer day in 1926, a baby boy was born on a farm in Cuba. His name was Fidel Castro. The farm was in a place called Birán, where tall sugar cane plants grew as far as you could see.
Little Fidel lived in a big wooden house with his brothers and sisters. His father, Angel Castro, owned the farm and worked hard every day. His mother, Lina, took care of the children and made sure they went to school.
Fun Fact: Young Fidel loved to climb trees and play baseball with the farm workers' children. He was always full of energy! ⚾
Even though his family had money, Fidel saw that many people in Cuba were very poor. The farm workers who cut sugar cane worked long hours but didn't earn much money. This made young Fidel sad and confused.
"Why do some people have so much while others have so little?" he would ask his teachers.
At first, Fidel went to small country schools. But when he turned six, his parents sent him to a bigger school in Santiago, a city far from home. It was hard for little Fidel to be away from his family, but he worked hard at his studies.
School Days and Big Dreams
Fidel was a curious student who loved to read books. His favorite subjects were history and sports. He became very good at debating - that means talking about important ideas with other students.
"One day," he told his friends, "I want to make Cuba a better place for everyone."
"I remember seeing poor children who couldn't go to school or see a doctor when they were sick. It wasn't fair, and I knew something had to change." - Young Fidel
As Fidel grew older, he started to learn more about Cuba's problems:• Many children couldn't go to school• Farmers didn't own their land• People didn't have enough food to eat• Sick people couldn't see doctors
Growing Up Strong
By the time Fidel was a teenager, he had grown very tall and strong. He was good at sports and loved leading other students. His teachers noticed that he always stood up for kids who were being treated unfairly.
"Fidel has a strong sense of right and wrong," one teacher wrote in his report card. "He wants to help others."
When Fidel finished school, he went to the University of Havana to study law. There, he learned about politics and how governments work. He saw that Cuba's leader, a man named Batista, wasn't being fair to the Cuban people.
Important Moment: At university, Fidel decided he would fight to change Cuba. He wanted to make it a place where all children could go to school and everyone had enough food to eat.
Young Fidel spent hours talking with other students about how to make Cuba better. He wrote articles for the school newspaper and gave speeches about helping poor people. Some people didn't like what he was saying, but Fidel didn't stop.
He carried a copy of Cuba's constitution (the country's rule book) in his pocket. When he saw something unfair, he would pull it out and say, "This isn't right! Our country's laws say we must treat everyone fairly!"
The Choice to Fight
After finishing university, Fidel became a lawyer. But he saw that just being a lawyer wasn't enough to fix Cuba's problems. The government wasn't listening to people who wanted peaceful change.
One night, looking at the stars over Havana, Fidel made a big decision. He would become a revolutionary - someone who fights to change things when peaceful ways don't work.
"Cuba needs to change," he told his friends. "And if no one else will do it, then I will."
The young man from Birán was ready to begin his biggest fight. He didn't know it then, but his decision would change Cuba forever.
The farm boy who once played baseball in the sugar cane fields was about to become one of the most famous leaders in the world. But first, he would have to face many dangerous challenges and make difficult choices.
The Mountain Warriors
In 1953, Fidel Castro started a special group called the 26th of July Movement. They wanted to make Cuba better for everyone. The name came from a very important day when Fidel and his friends first tried to fight against the unfair government.
Did You Know? Fidel and his friends wore olive green clothes and grew long beards while hiding in the mountains. People called them "los barbudos" - the bearded ones!
Life in the Sierra Maestra
After their first try didn't work, Fidel and his friends went to hide in the Sierra Maestra mountains. These mountains were very tall and full of thick forests. It was the perfect place to hide and plan their next moves.
"We will learn to live like the mountain people," Fidel told his followers. "They will be our teachers and friends."
Life in the mountains was hard:
• They had to sleep outside in the rain ☔
• They didn't have much food to eat
• They had to walk many miles every day
• They got sick but had few medicines
Making New Friends
The poor farmers who lived in the mountains, called campesinos, helped Fidel and his group. They shared their food and taught them how to survive in the mountains.
"The campesinos are the heart of our revolution. Without them, we could not fight for a better Cuba." - Fidel Castro
One of Fidel's best friends in the fight was Che Guevara, a doctor from Argentina. Che helped sick people in the mountains and became a brave fighter. Together, they taught the farmers to read and write while planning their fight.
Growing Stronger
Important: More and more people joined Fidel's group every day. They started with just 12 fighters, but soon had hundreds!
Fidel and his friends won many small fights against the government soldiers. After each win, more people believed they could really change Cuba. They used clever tricks to win:
They moved at night when it was dark
They knew the mountain paths better than anyone ️
They had help from the local people
They shared their food and medicine with everyone who needed it
Learning to Lead
In the mountains, Fidel learned how to be a good leader. He made sure everyone had enough to eat, even if it meant he went hungry. He listened to people's ideas and helped solve their problems.
"A good leader must first be a good friend," Fidel would say. He spent time talking with his fighters around the campfire at night, learning about their lives and families.
Each day in the mountains made Fidel and his fighters stronger. They faced many hard times, but they didn't give up. They kept believing they could make Cuba better.
Messages of Hope
Fidel's group had a small radio station in the mountains. They would tell people about their fights and their dreams for Cuba. Many people listened secretly at night, hoping for news about the rebels.
"We fight for all Cubans," the radio would say. "We fight for the children who can't go to school, for the farmers who have no land, and for everyone who wants a fair Cuba."
Even when things were very hard, Fidel kept his fighters' hopes alive. He told them stories about other people who had fought for freedom and won. He promised that one day, they would march into Havana as winners.
The little group that started in the mountains was growing into something much bigger. They were becoming an army of hope for many Cubans who wanted change. Victory and Change
The morning sun rose over Havana on January 1, 1959. Something big was about to happen! Fidel Castro and his friends were coming down from the mountains.
The Big Day
People filled the streets of Havana. They were so happy! Many waved Cuban flags and shouted "¡Viva Fidel!" The old leader, Batista, had run away in the night. He took lots of money with him.
Special Moment: Fidel rode into Havana on a big tank! He still wore his green army clothes and had his long beard. People threw flowers at him and his friends.
A New Cuba
Fidel made a big promise to the people: "Now things will be different! Every Cuban will have enough food. Every child will go to school. Every sick person will see a doctor."
The changes started right away:
• Schools opened for all children
• Doctors helped poor people for free ⚕️
• Farmers got their own land to grow food
• People who never had homes got new houses
Making Friends and Enemies
"Cuba belongs to Cubans now!" Fidel told everyone. Some rich people didn't like the changes. They left Cuba and went to live in other places.
"We want everyone to have the same chances in life. No more rich getting richer while poor stay poor." - Fidel Castro
The United States got very worried. They didn't like Fidel's new ideas. They stopped being friends with Cuba. This made things harder for Cuban people.
New Friends Far Away
Big Change: Cuba made new friends with a country called the Soviet Union. They helped Cuba with food, machines, and many other things.
Life was changing fast in Cuba. Some things got better:
Kids could all go to school now
Sick people got free medicine
Poor families got homes ️
Everyone had food to eat
Hard Times Too
But some things were hard. The stores didn't have as many things to buy. People had to wait in long lines for food. Some people didn't like that Fidel made all the big decisions.
"We must work together to make Cuba strong," Fidel would say on TV. He talked for many hours, telling people about his plans.
Every day brought new changes to Cuba. Some people were very happy. Others were scared or angry. But everyone knew things would never be the same.
A Different Country
Cuba started to look different. Old fancy hotels became schools. Big houses turned into hospitals. Farmers worked together on big farms.
Fidel kept his army clothes on. He wanted people to remember the fight in the mountains. He wanted them to know he was still the same person who promised to help poor people.
The little island of Cuba was changing fast. The whole world was watching to see what would happen next. Some countries loved the changes. Others didn't like them at all.
Every night, Fidel would think about his time in the mountains. He remembered the promises he made. Now he had to show everyone he could keep those promises. Dangerous Days
In October 1962, Cuba became the center of a very scary time. Big ships were coming to Cuba. They carried something that made many people worried.
The Missile Problem
Cuba's new friend, the Soviet Union, sent rockets called missiles to Cuba. These weren't regular rockets - they were very dangerous! The United States saw them from spy planes flying high in the sky. ✈️
Scary Moment: The world held its breath! The United States and Soviet Union had never been so close to a big fight.
President Kennedy Gets Worried
The U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, went on TV. He told everyone about the missiles in Cuba. He said they had to be taken away. He sent Navy ships to stop more missiles from coming.
"We want those missiles out of Cuba!" - President Kennedy
Fidel's Big Problem
Fidel Castro was stuck in the middle. He wanted to protect Cuba. But now his island was in danger. For 13 days, everyone was scared. Would there be a war?
Things that happened during these tense days:
• U.S. ships surrounded Cuba
• People built shelters to hide in
• Everyone watched the news
• Kids practiced hiding under their desks
• Grown-ups stored extra food
Making New Friends
After the missile crisis ended, Fidel looked for more friends around the world. He visited many countries. He helped other small countries that wanted to be free.
Important Change: Cuba became very close friends with the Soviet Union. They helped Cuba with lots of things:
The Soviet Union...
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