Warning: Contains archival footage of deceased persons. Shortly after Cuban guerrilla leader Fidel Castro helped oust unpopular military dictator Fulgencio Batista, he began remaking the country into a communist society. Castro and the Cuban Revolution relates how the controversial Castro championed Cuban independence and sought to meet the social and economic needs of the country's peasants while maintaining his power through harsh political repression. Students will trace Cuba's turbulent political past, moving from Spanish colonial rule to American intervention to a close association with the Soviet Union and ultimately true independence. Striking footage, primary accounts and expert interviews clearly illustrate the dramatic events of this important historical revolution and provide insight into its contemporary themes.