The Cuban Revolution of 1959 was a major turning point in the history of that island nation. Before the revolution, Cuba's economy revolved around the cultivation of sugar, tobacco, and tropical fruits, most of which were sold to the United States. The economy was dominated by a small group of Cuban landowners and foreign corporations, such as the United Fruit Company, which raked in huge profits from their operations. Meanwhile, millions of cane cutters and their families were forced to make do on the wages they earned during the four-month sugar harvest. Politically, the government was firmly in the hands of wealthy land-owning conservatives who did more to serve the interests of foreign investors—and themselves—than they did those of the Cuban people. Most Cuban workers lived in poverty while the elite sported with American tourists in Havana. As...