In his introduction to “That Infernal Little Cuban Republic,” Lars Schoultz compares Cuba to the neighbors across the street who irritate you. But the street is wide so you try not to let things bother you. Things like: suspicious out-of-town guests who make you nervous until they leave; and a few of the neighbor’s children pitching a tent in your yard, seemingly intent upon staying.
The book’s title, taken from one of Theodore Roosevelt’s letters in 1907, captures the ongoing U.S. frustration with Cuba that dates back to the early 1820s, when Havana-based pirates plundered U.S. shipping.
This comprehensive, 760-page chronicle of U.S. policy toward the Cuban Revolution is a timely publication since nearly 50,000 U.S. citizens visited Cuba legally in 2008 for educational, religious or family reasons. Another estimated 25,000 American tourists visited Cuba illegally.
Schoultz, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is an admirable storyteller as he analyzes the policies of U.S. presidents from Harry S. Truman through George W. Bush.
He tells of the infamous 1960s CIA plot to assassinate Fidel Castro with a poisoned ballpoint pen. Schoultz uses a variety of documents and firsthand interviews to critique the attempts and failures of U.S. administrations to deal with the challenge of Cuba. He effectively explains why the United States has openly and actively tried to overthrow the island’s government for some five decades. Schoultz points out that Cubans have historically insisted on their right to self-determination and that this has irritated U.S. administrations.
The well-researched and well-written book is not just for history and political science scholars. Anyone with an interest in U.S. foreign relations will appreciate Schoultz’s careful historical detail, readable narrative and clear analysis.
