Fidel Castro fought for country in a rigged game

Like those of most communist leaders, Fidel Castro's death has prompted many controversial comments. To some, including Cuban refugees who fled to America during the Cold War, he was a horrible tyrant. To many revolutionaries, he was a romantic utopian fighter. Still others saw him as an influential politician with a colorful personality. In my view, Castro was a charismatic Cuban nationalist who did everything for his country's independence, regardless of ideology.

As a charismatic revolutionary, Castro is similar to many other communist leaders of the last century, such as Mao Zedong and Ho Chi-Minh. Instead of practicing doctrinal Marxism, Castro's saw communism as a tool to create a modern, independent Cuba.

Castro and other revolutionaries at that time were fighting controversial, pro-America governments (in Cuba's case, Fulgencio Batista's regime). It was only after Castro found no help from the U.S. that he turned to the Soviet Union. In a world that was divided by two superpowers, it was his only other choice.

In the long run, these independent nationalists operating under the banner of communism tended to be more flexible than the orthodox Stalinist countries in Eastern Europe. Castro's Cuba, China, and Vietnam developed their own versions of socialism that accommodated each countries' character.

So too, Castro's embarrassing failure mirrored most small countries' destinies on the stage set by superpowers. His genuine will to make Cuba a better, more independent country always appeared as a weakness after the failure of Cuban missile crisis, which led to a dramatic shift in the Soviet Union's attitude toward Cuba. Promises were broken, aid was reduced and even stopped shortly after the two superpowers peacefully resolved the crisis. As for the U.S., a harsh trade embargo was already on its way and the two countries' diplomatic relations were very unlikely to be restored due to Cuba's new regime.

For a long time, the international order had behaved abominably toward Cuba. At any rate, small countries have always been pawns used by superpowers. Castro's Cuba didn't break this charm either.

Castro a patriot, devoted to his land. His Stalinist vision damaged the Cuban economy. During the foundation of his regime, he imprisoned or murdered anyone who got in his way. It is not surprising that many Cuban Americans still have very negative impressions to him. In today's world where ideological differences are being replaced by development and cooperation, Castro cannot be reproduced. He was a charismatic Cuban nationalist created by his time.

' Fangren Yu, of China, is an honors history student minoring in international relations at the University of Iowa.