Fidel Castro: To the Brink of Nuclear Holocaust

He was the personification of the evil dictator - clad in his familiar khaki uniform and cap and chomping on his cigar, he ruled with an iron fist over his island nation.
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Credits:
Host - Simon Whistler
Author - Steve Theunissen
Producer - Jack Cole
Executive Producer - Shell Harris
Business inquiries to [e-mail]
Biographies by the book, get Fidel Castro's biography from Amazon: amzn.to/2ri12M9
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[@redjirachi1]

Assassination attempt-deaths JFK: 2-1 Castro: 638-0

[@konradwroblewski2115]

Something tells me the despot dictator's number of attempts is highly exaggerated to paint himself as unassailable. The reality is he probably survived less than 5. But that doesn't have the same ring as "638".

[@BXGUY73]

@@konradwroblewski2115 CASTRO himself said, "only GOD knows how many times the CIA/USA/Mafia/Exiles have tried to assassinate him." Now let's see, the MAFIA/Cosa Nostra tried working with the CIA to kill Castro and so did the "Gusano" Cuban Exiles who were trained by the CIA to assassinate Castro. Then there is just the CIA with their own attempts. So from 1960 or '62 to about 2000, that's sure A LOT of attempts possibly WAAAAAYYYYY more than just 5. AND that is just the USA, who knows how many times other US Allies may have tried. Either way it cannot be denied that they TRIED countless times, but TRYING isn't DOING. So too bad, he remained defiant and like it or not, a hero to many in the oppressed nations of the world who suffered US or European Imperialism.

[@archonsouthpaw8690]

@@BXGUY73 Who cares? The most important thing about a leader is what he did for his people. Castro snuffed out dissent with an iron fist, and ruined his country to do it. It's unsurprising that in a country like the United States, where personal liberty actually means something, one can find more angles from which to attack their leaders. People who see incompetent tyrannical monsters like Castro as heroes have been misled.

[@warcriment7298]

@@konradwroblewski2115 he wanted to just end his assassination attempts soo people cant think of an amazing idea of posioning his milk and making him over dose on drugs and become an alcoholic and then the revelution will revelute him

[@EnigmaEnginseer]

@@BXGUY73 Wouldn’t call him a hero

[@zackschilling4376]

Castro: "Ahhh, the Americans aren't so bad, they named a street after me in San Francisco. " Castro's Bodyguard - (whispers something to him) Castro - "It's full of WHAT???"

[@melmendoza4996]

@Dark Phantom it is a LGBT community

[@Clannantorc704]

Vinit Gaikwad ok. Castro hated gays and put thousands in prison with life sentences or had them executed. The joke is that the Castro district in San Francisco is the gay district.

[@tiffa808]

It that a Simpsons reference or Robot Chicken reference? I think it's the Simpsons... i think I remember laughing. I don't think I got the joke as a kid. Simpsons, it's a Simpsons reference...

[@tomlyons8440]

@@tiffa808 Mr. Burns: "Well start our own country. Look, that big island has freedom written all over it!" Smithers: "That's Cuba sir."

[@erasmusgustav4194]

@@tiffa808 it's from the Simpsons

[@horzinesecurityagent1732]

remember that 1 time he slaughtered a bunch of zombies in the pentagon

[@frenchguy8375]

Yeah I was there I was going to talk to Mr Kennedy then he shot me saying I was zombie when I wasnt but there were zombies so I understand

[@lister1745]

My history teacher told me USA sanctioned Cuba first thus making Castro have to look for alternative buyer like the uSSR

[@ichbinschanppi]

Your teacher is correct. In fact, the sanctions were only lifted very recently

[@David-li4uw]

The U.S. did after he started stealing private property owned by U.S. companies and citizens.

[@ammarally3055]

@@David-li4uw The private property was owned by the fucking mafia lmao

[@ichbinschanppi]

@@David-li4uw A nation can own property in another nation now? interesting

[@ichbinschanppi]

@@ammarally3055 yep. Incidentally, that's what lead to the creation of Las Vegas

[@anti-federalist8795]

This video is inaccurate when it said that Fidel became “president of Cuba” in July 1959. In actuality he became Prime Minister in February 1959. In July he threatened to resign as Prime Minister if President Urrutia did not resign as president. It was a simple publicity stunt and it worked. Urrutia resigned and fled Cuba, Fidel stayed as Prime Minister, and a man named Osvaldo Dorticos was named President.

[@joecurran2811]

He fled from Cuba to Cuba?

[@anti-federalist8795]

@@joecurran2811 He fled from Cuba to New York.

[@BXGUY73]

Thanks for that info

[@carlosramos5256]

Anti: Right. Dorticós, "cabeza de bote" or "espumadera." He didn't do anything. He didn't cut, didn't stir, didn't stick into anything. Worthless.

[@kimobrien.]

@@carlosramos5256 Its a British Imperialist propaganda video.

[@xXEpicxManXx]

2:25 This enraged the son, who punished the father severely

[@CryptoRootz]

That one guy : "Wait so i shot my self in the stomach and no one got to see... ?"

[@thaddeuscheeleyjr.369]

I was laughing it up so much at that part that I had to pause the video and just try to think about that. Like, "wait, what? He shot himself in the stomach because..... why?" I mean I get that it was to send a message but what kind of message does shooting oneself in the stomach send to others? Certainly not a beneficial one; it sounds like he's got a few screws loose. "The time to act is now!" *shoots self* I'm sorry, but I just have a hard time believing anyone would so easily support a guy or his political affiliation when he's so willing to cause himself physical harm...

[@scottmckay9535]

Their booming economy produced a whole generation of '50's auto mechanics.

[@bababrown976]

They also fought off a party of FASCIST/terrorist to gain LIBERTY...🙏🇺🇲🙌✊🏻✊🏽✊

[@tyrawr4394]

boomer*

[@SKa-tt9nm]

BABA BROWN! The liberty to die from malnutrition without any actual freedom to think, vote or own a business.

[@bababrown976]

@@SKa-tt9nm that's exactly why they kicked amerikkka TF out,sent the descendants of COLONIZERS on a boat back to the U.S....like Haiti

[@ladyphoenixgrey3923]

BABA BROWN! Someone’s kind of an idiot, yeah? Must be tough.

[@moneelbambino]

Seems to be alot of information that wasn't included in the video

[@cronquist09]

It's not a very long video lol, there's massive books written on this stuff. They're just touching on some key topics.

[@American-Plague]

Yeah...every episode they do should be a 12 hour long dissertation.

[@clarkgrizwald8619]

Regardless of what is left out, there are millions of Cubans and Cuban exiles who would testify to the evil of the Castro regime.

[@American-Plague]

@@clarkgrizwald8619 Yep. I asked someone else to please explain that if things were left out (in other words: Castro is a fine, upstanding human being) then how exactly did the Mariel Boat Lift come to be? I never got an answer.

[@clarkgrizwald8619]

Yep

[@seanculligan8592]

The intro was hardly unbiased, is he suggesting Cuba had much of an economy before?😂

[@danielshifron5672]

Sean Culligan Under Spain but it was not a Cuban economy

[@carlitoxjojojo89]

Cuba was one of the richest lands on earth, Cuba had even more money than Spain itself

[@CulturalOasis]

Just another Bird Umm history

[@bcharms10000]

@@carlitoxjojojo89 it also had severe socioeconomic inequality and a huge poverty problem

[@elijahruby4540]

Charliex Cuba has extremely low literacy rates as well before Castro

[@ZuluComander]

uhhh didn't the Soviet union fall in 1991, not 1989? not to question your wisdom senpai.

[@alexfilisanu5462]

ZuluComander maybe he confused it with the romanian communist revolution

[@declanbrady99]

Probably got it mixed up with the fall of the Eastern bloc in 1989.

[@Janovjev]

ZuluComander the Soviet soldiers left the ex-soviet countries by 91-92

[@johnruddick686]

Berlin wall fell in November 1989

[@undertakerlargestfan]

89 was technically the beginning of the end for the soviet union.

[@thedgzgames427]

0:38 That's Che Guvara not Fidel.

[@kkloikok]

You would know commie

[@thedgzgames427]

@@kkloikok yeah i know because that's my steam profile pic :)

[@SpcGiraffe]

@@kkloikok So being educated = Being a commie You're setting a bad standard there buddy

[@kimilsung2608]

@@kkloikok North Korea = Best Korea

[@MeeMaw1971]

@@kimilsung2608 in soviet russia. History learn YOU.

[@corbinrichmond8906]

Beginning of the video: "he decimated the economy" End of video: proceeds to explain Bay of Pigs and US total economic blockade

[@Ozarkmadness56]

Also supported Nelson Mandela against apartheid when the U.S. did nothing

[@nahtayrome6007]

Facts, thank you

[@GHustle4]

it's funny how everyone wants the US to do police work yet no one comes to the aid of black in america....

[@bababrown976]

@@GHustle4 have you not seen the GLOBAL George Floyd protest?I think that's why you're here

[@ByAlonsoBarinotto]

It doesnt justify being a commie.

[@bighead8417]

They supported the apartheid

[@crodo123]

I gotta say I really find this channel entertaining but every time I'm seeing a story i already know about (like first hand) I find unbelievable mistakes. It makes me think that the ones I don't know about are probably full of them too and therefore just misinforming me.

[@SpcGiraffe]

EXACTLY, same Ernesto D. you explained my own view of this channel perfectly. It's mostly their explanations of serial killers that I find to be the most accurate but their videos about leaders of different countries seem so extremely biased it's hard not to notice even when you agree with the video for the most part...

[@Saber23]

@@SpcGiraffe that’s literally all this channel is very little of it is actual objective facts and this is something that Simon has been criticized endlessly for

[@SpcGiraffe]

@@Saber23 I guess it's kinda interesting when it's just reminding you of what you already know but then it leaves us with this bad taste in our uh brains.. about Simon? Is it? I honestly didn't even know his name.

[@Saber23]

@@SpcGiraffe wow you must really be new here yeah the guys name is Simon and while his biography videos are often entertaining they’re sometimes extremely biased and more often then not misinformed and misleading

[@SpcGiraffe]

@@Saber23 Well I watch all sorts of videos but I got interested in his cause of his Serial Killer videos lol. I'm not a monster tho I swear >.>

[@8800081]

0:52 *HOLY CRAP!* Fidel Castro's father was Patrick Stewart!

[@tyrawr4394]

poop emoji 💩

[@richardque4952]

Isnt castro ancestor were slave owner?

[@dem6n6l6gy]

🤣🤣🤣

[@aldhizak]

The West: *puts nuclear missiles in Turkey* USSR: *puts nuclear missiles in Cuba* The West: "Fidel Castro Biography: To the Brink of Nuclear Holocaust"

[@gutsjoestar7450]

Couldn't be more accurate

[@parakrambasnet6317]

@diza k so true man

[@RyoKasai25]

Dude, the difference between those two is that Castro wanted to use those missiles as soon as possible, making even the soviets worried.

[@bighead8417]

@@RyoKasai25 Castro wanted to use them if a us invasion would happen

[@musicalDrebin]

@@bighead8417 yeah he was willing to have his whole country and people obliterate, if he ran the risk of losing it. He was an evil piece of garbage

[@julianbonnin7213]

My parents were friends with an elderly couple that were exiles from Cuba. The husband (who has since passed) told me he was classmates with Fidel and Fidel let him leave when he took power, he said he was scared to death when he asked. The FBI interrogated him when he got to the US but had nothing on him. He said Fidel was extremely smart and could memorize entire pages from books he read. He also said he hung out with the outcasts and was the ring “leader” of the losers in his class. But since Fidel was really good Sports he could “hang” with the normal crowd/athletes and nobody really judged him. Weird but that’s what he told me. His last name was Cata

[@tomharding127]

That's so cool. Imagine even meeting someone who knew someone like Castro, let alone knowing and being friends with them.

[@jakel8627]

@@tomharding127 Cuba is about the size of Taiwan, so it's not hard for everyone to meet each other.

[@carlosramos5256]

Julian: That is what I have heard as well. Not weird. Astute.

[@carlosramos5256]

@@tomharding127 I suppose you would say the same about those that knew Hitler, like Himmler, Goering, Hess, Hoess, Kaltenbrunner, und so weiter.

[@carlosramos5256]

@@jakel8627 Hey, Joke. We are NOT that small.

[@erikk77]

Correction: Fidel Castro died on November 25, 2016 (Black Friday)

[@gubadagoober]

Thats why november 25th is my favorite day in november

[@owenshebbeare2999]

Good timing, the bugger had a black heart.

[@cfcblue8]

And on Pinochet's birthday to add to the irony.

[@SunnyBoyy448]

So did Jesus die on a Friday as a criminal. Rest in eternal peace Fidel Castro

[@daysinv8058]

As someone who grew up in Cuba is fascinating to watch this.

[@goransvraka3171]

I just watched Cuba Libre on Netflix and am wondering if Fidel Castro achieved the things he initially staged a revolution for? It seems wether you are a communist or a capitalist no one is immune to greed and power! I feel if you want eternal power always be giving to the people!

[@alex0424619]

@@goransvraka3171 it's a history as old as time unfortunately

[@kimobrien.]

@@alex0424619 It's lies being told that rivals those told by Adolf Hitler. Starting with the charge of being a Dictator who ruled with an iron fist. 499. Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Mallory) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom)1 Washington, April 6, 1960. SUBJECT The Decline and Fall of Castro Salient considerations respecting the life of the present Government of Cuba are: 1. The majority of Cubans support Castro (the lowest estimate I have seen is 50 percent). 2. There is no effective political opposition. 3. Fidel Castro and other members of the Cuban Government espouse or condone communist influence. 4. Communist influence is pervading the Government and the body politic at an amazingly fast rate. 5. Militant opposition to Castro from without Cuba would only serve his and the communist cause. 6. The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship. If the above are accepted or cannot be successfully countered, it follows that every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government. The principal item in our economic quiver would be flexible authority in the sugar legislation. This needs to be sought urgently. All other avenues should likewise be explored. But first, a decision is [Page 886]necessary as to the line of our conduct

[@musicaquecalma4134]

@@alex0424619 But, because of Fidel Castro, who is in history, the people of Cuba have been abused, robbed, raped, handcuffed and repressed for 63 years. For Cubans, wherever Fidel is mentioned, it is essential to shout what a liar and abuser he was.

[@castrocuba4937]

because he is lying? yes

[@travistalbot9766]

Kinda disappointed he didn't mention his absolute obsession with dairy and ice cream

[@ninnamix6807]

The second picture that you showed is not Fidel Castro. It's Che Guevara. Come on guys. . . I live and respect what you do but just watch the details.

[@hcolidr451]

Love*

[@bloodeagle2234]

Castro was the left and che Guevara was on the right

[@Deejay27]

Come on lady, I don’t love and respect what you do like trolling videos looking for little errors to correct. Nope you’re wrong.

[@Saber23]

I’m sure they knew that but Che was as big a part of the Cuban Revolution as Castro was

[@musicaquecalma4134]

@@LorFire Fidel Castro and Che are two scoundrels who spoke VERY beautiful words and phrases for the people; BUT... Both said one thing and did another; because communism is NOT viable for the people. With their laws they abused, stole, raped, handcuffed the Cuban people; while they, EVERYONE lived in luxury, ate what they forbade the people to eat and had what they so prohibited. If you are from the left and you have been inspired by those scoundrels, you should know that you are defending the WORST system that exists for the people; NOT like that, for those who hold communist power.

[@WizzardJC]

I defy anyone to tell me he doesn't look like liam neeson in some of his younger pictures

[@curlyandfri3s]

Way more like Justin Trudeau, especially the thumb nail

[@blackfirefox666]

I thought Kit Harrington.

[@geekyradical4985]

I think he looks an awful lot like Marlon Brando.

[@thesportsapex1787]

Omg I've been saying this for years

[@markjarrett9400]

I deplore Castro and Guevara as well as the atrocities that they committed. However, your vlog is so bias. No mention of the US support of the brutality, corruption and oppression by Batista, minimal mention of the Mafia involvement in the same government and the Tropicana Club/casino et al. Why? If this presentation is typical of history that is presented in the US it is no wonder there is little understanding in the USA of why there was anti US feeling in Cuba and in other parts of the world.

[@kingofbadgers3019]

Mark Jarrett I agree, but your stance on Fidel somewhat and definatley on Guvara is too harsh

[@donfelipe7510]

I suppose it was to keep the focus on Castro rather than delve into the history of Cuba itself. Yes of course the Batista regime was corrupt and had links to the mafia but that is simply not the subject we're discussing. You could do a whole documentary series of the history of each country in the world...

[@markjarrett9400]

I understand where you are coming from. However an event/person rising to power or why any situation, or event occurs does not occur in isolation. If it is portrayed as so you risk going down a slippery slope towards generalisations, stereotypes and in outlandish situations towards reinforcing prejudice and persecution.

[@donfelipe7510]

Mark Jarrett a video of about 20 mins is going to have to make a few generalisations and lack a bit detail. Unfortunately the longer the video the less views it will get. I think Castro and Guevara were initially principled and idealistic men. Once they arrived in a position of power to attack those who had wronged or oppressed them their message got lost. Guevara especially presided over many well documented show trials and executions. However Cuba was never going to be allowed to succeed by the United States, in who's sphere of influence Cuba was most certainly before the revolution. An example was made of Cuba to keep the rest of Latin America in line.

[@markjarrett9400]

Agree 100%. Philosophically I believe that filmmakers like yourself have a lot of power and a responsibility as you can inform as well as influence peoples beliefs (which I think you take very seriously) in a positive or negative light. You or one of the team acknowledges this in many vlogs. Here is to freedom of thought and expression and keeping it civil. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Look forward to many more episodes.

[@slimepals7087]

Do Leon Trotsky

[@josephstalin6493]

No blyat

[@spade3779]

Do Slobodan Milosevic

[@tsarnature6587]

GULAG FOR YOU

[@hannahskipper2764]

I wish I had time to binge watch these. I'm so behind! I enjoy them so much!

[@AnthonySmith-hl2pq]

This guy is biased

[@SyntheticLTD]

Awesome channel! Love watching these videos!

[@generalmccornflaxbo2547]

Ah man! You didn't mention Castro's bizarre milk fixation. (Sigh). Dud, you really let the ball down.

[@RankinMsP]

How did *he* bring the world to the brink of nuclear war when it was Kennedy and Kruschev playing chicken?

[@mannikiini5292]

I think that the "birth of a dictator" text is _kind of_ an overstatement. Yes he was the leader of Cuba till his death, and there were multiple crimes made by Castro. But if Castro is a dictator, then i think, so is every 1900-2010 president/leader ever. (Keep in mind Castro also did SO MUCH good to Cuba)

[@gubadagoober]

Well till 1991 after the fall of the ussr the economy fell castro did nothing to get other trade partherns and could have been allies with china.

[@carlosramos5256]

mannikin: What good did KASTRO do to Cuba, besides DYING ?

[@carlosramos5256]

manikin: What do you think you know about Cuba ?

[@your-username-here2308]

You should look up the definition of Dictator.

[@musicaquecalma4134]

Mannikiini52, You do not know what you say!!! Fidel Castro YES! He was a dictator. And from 1959 itself, he began to take over Cuba, to take EVERYTHING from EVERYONE. Fidel, together with Che, worked in the first two years of the damned Revolution on laws on land, money, banks, factories and industries. Later, Fidel filled the people with unjust and absurd laws to completely handcuff them. He imposed ruthless repercussions against anyone who dared to express a contrary opinion. Laws that have made the people have NO freedoms, progress, or their own decision...it is a slave people, trampled, abused and raped by the communist government. Many times, in his long speeches (from 4 to 6 hours) he said things, which later came out drafted as laws. Fidel sowed hunger (bread, milk, eggs, meat, vegetables, beans, salt, rice, etc, etc. It created needs (drugs, water, current, sheets, clothes, shoes, dishes, soaps, transportation, roofs, floors, cement, etc, etc, etc). It created general misery (doctors, gardeners, architects, engineers, taxi drivers, teachers, cooks...etc, etc). He sowed fierce hatred against: the United States, the Batista government and against anyone who did not love him; He called them worms, lumpens, bandits. When in reality he was the bandit and criminal, thief, slaver, manipulator, ambitious and liar.

[@AnterGaming]

ive been waiting so long

[@Rayzorbladez]

And now he's best known as the father of Canada's Prime Minister.

[@memelivesmatter8977]

You should have mentioned when Castro died, all of Miami was partying.

[@INMATE2468]

Meme Lives Matter well if a US president dies north korea and iran would party too.

[@Chaika1974]

Harbinger But there are no Americans in North Korea, Miami was filled with Cubans

[@dflatt1783]

Gary Sturmabteilung Or maybe piss off the USSR? You know those guys with all those nukes who Cuba was allied with? Ahhh yeah ...... you forgot about those dudes eh mate. You did mention the iron curtain so they must have been inside that head of your at some point.

[@dflatt1783]

If it wasn't 'public and transparent' than chances are you wouldn't know if it was tried. Perhaps they did do the things you mentioned but nobody knows? You are just another 'person' that looks back on something that happened a long time ago, see's the results, and then complains about how things were done. It's easy to complain about methodology when the results are present.

[@dflatt1783]

One more thing there slick ... Perhaps the way the Mujahideen was supported by the US was in some way shaped by the failures with Cuba? Ya know that whole cause-effect thing.

[@TekHardy]

My grade 8 teacher who was an Olympic medalist from the Cuban Olympics received his medal from castro himself.🙂

[@uncoolspore9672]

Your teacher was a liar

[@gubadagoober]

My dad was in the cuban army.

[@randomk7198]

@@gubadagoober how was life under Castro?

[@gubadagoober]

@@randomk7198 mediocre

[@randomk7198]

@@gubadagoober I always thought it was a hellhole?

[@frankenstein7956]

I love your stuff man, it keeps me going through the day

[@AnthonySmith-hl2pq]

It’s biased

[@duran4757]

Good video, simon

[@rogerwilliams2042]

As Bob Marley says -Don’t let them fool you ! Or even try to school you!

[@ilimitadouc]

Do Blackbeard and Billy The Kid please!

[@cryptonian7706]

haven't you watched the video?

[@bentleyjordan7441]

Really enjoy your videos man

[@Punisher9419]

You forgot about the good things that he did. Healthcare and education mostly.

[@soyboy3833]

stfu

[@cullenkerr6556]

Buddy I'm from Florida. When that bastard died every Cuban across the state was through the roof. I mean they were in the streets in Little Havana in Miami for days. My friends and I were seriously debating if we should drive 6 1/2 hours to go party with them.

[@rileighdabbs1950]

So?

[@chloel.8007]

@Kuddlesworth NA Castro had monster/deplorable qualities but I agree this should have been mentioned. He shut down schools for 13 months to increase the literacy rate because during Batista's reign only the rich could read and write and the rich were like 10 percent of the country. By the time the 13 months was over, everyone could read.

[@joshuanell5119]

He also helped and funded the African National Congress party, fought the boers during the Border wars. There a Castro statues all through South Africa.

[@TheWaterboarders]

We visited Cuba in February. What I didn't realise was that Castro only turned Cuba communist after the Americans attacked the Bay of Pigs. As a retaliation, he turned Cuba communist and took all the US assets, who owned over 80% of the businesses in Cuba.

[@kaljic1]

Usually the biographies on this site are good, if unremarkable. This one on Castro is a total hack job.

[@Biographics]

How so? WE like critical feedback, but can yo provide more than just "a total hack job."?

[@kaljic1]

“Hack job” was maybe too strong a word. Let’s just say your treatment of Castro was not consistent with minimum journalistic standards. It was extremely one-sided, left out some significant facts, omitted the political and geopolitical milieu within which Castro was operating, and went to extremes to paint Castro in the worst possible light ever. (Is this the definition of “hack job”? Quite possibly, Yes.) For starters, the tenor to your presentation can be summarized with its beginning words, that Castro was “the personification of the evil dictator” who “brought the world to the nuclear brink.” Let’s examine these two statements of fact. “The personification of the evil dictator.” No, he was not an evil dictator. A dictator, yes, but “evil”? I think not. Idi Amin was “evil;” Saddam Housein was “evil;” Castro was not. He almost single-handedly transformed a backward country which had for decades been the center of American Mafia-controlled casinos and hotels, and which American politicians went to whore around in the brothels in Havana - yes, JFK was one of them, but more about him later - and which had been ruled by American puppet dictators such as Bautista - Simon, HE was an “evil” dictator - he transformed that country into one which has the highest literacy rate in North or South America. Yes, the literacy rate in Cuba is higher than the United States. It has free public elementary and higher education, free health care, a BETTER health system than the US - all from an “evil dictator” with the active and covert opposition of the most powerful country in the world. Did Castro “bring the world to the nuclear brink”? Again, the historical record does not support this statement. You have even said in your presentation that the Soviet Union shipped the nuclear warheads to Cuba. Castro didn’t, the Soviets did. If anything, Castro was a chip in a dangerous poker game between Soviet Russia and the US. You correctly state that the crisis escalated when JFK - not Castro, not the Soviets, obviously - imposed a blockade to Cuba. The US Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Curtis LeMay, wanted to “bomb Cuba to the Stone Age.” Kennedy had a harder time dealing with LeMay than with Khrushchev. Kennedy, the Soviets, LeMay - THEY brought the world to the brink. I fail to see, as you so correctly point out in your presentation, how Castro was a factor in the crisis. And even if he had, one can hardly blame him. The United States had already been actively trying to assassinate him, with some of the most ridiculous methods. Eight Presidents later, Castro died of old age. Kennedy tried but died himself trying. (This is another story) Castro was a complicated man and his is a complicated history. Your presentation had the nuance and depth of a Wikipedia article written by a FOX news operative.

[@Daugust77]

I've been to Cuba. A quote I heard from a worker was: "Raul pretends to pay us, so we pretend to work" Simon did a good job on this. If it really was a hackjob as you say, he would have stretched the evil parts of his presidency, such as the show trials headed by Che.

[@Kalumbatsch]

Right in the beginning: "the personification of the evil dictator". Probably not going to watch the rest.

[@davidrosner6267]

Its difficult to summarize the life of Fidel Castro in 20 minutes so overall good job Simon. I will remind viewers that Cuban exiles and their descendants living in the United States, a sizable percentage of the island's pre-1959 population, despise Fidel Castro. Anyone with Cuban American friends will know this. This may have influenced Simon's description of Castro as an "evil dictator." The Castro regime took everything from the Cuban exiles while killing and imprisoning thousands of dissidents within the island. However, Castro also modernized Cuba, the way Stalin modernized the Soviet Union, improving literacy, education and health care. Fidel appealed to people frustrated with the corruption of the Batista regime and the semi-colonization of Cuba by the United States. My question after watching this video is did the United States suspect that Castro would declare himself a Marxist-Leninist and reorient Cuba towards the Soviet Union before he actually did so in December 1960? Seems like Eisenhower should have seen that one coming.

[@yohancereece2509]

Excellent channel

[@greygalah]

nicely done.

[@georgewood6211]

-Leon Trotsky -Fransico Franco -FDR -Norway bomber -Lee Harvey Oswalt -The Kennedy’s -Woodey harrlesons dad -Malcom X -Mohammed -Lawrence of Arabia

[@paulbizz25]

Needed/wanted more detail on this missing a lot of information on how he ruled. Keep it up though 6/10.

[@calvinringo3886]

Great job

[@thomasmccullough7233]

Another good one.

[@castlewhore2007]

Simon you should do a video on Trujillo the dictator of the Dominican Republic you mention in this video.

[@tranchmaster]

But get his fucking name straight...Simon should research a little the pronunciation of a name before making a video...almost every video that is not about someone from an English speaking country has at least a person's name horribly mispronounced (and it's most annoying when it's really simple names of well known people or places)

[@GerardPerry]

"He criticized the prison, and the inhumane treatment of its inhabitants." Oh, the irony.

[@BlueHart]

Good Stuff!

[@DavidHernandez-tz8fh]

Simon, please since you mentioned him, you should do a video on Rafael Trujillo, on how cruel and inhumane his regime was, how he went from celebrated by the US, to hated by everyone, communists and right wingers alike, and his assassination. Great work with the videos, keep them coming.

[@conceitedfication]

He just did 1 have you seen it???

[@kimobrien.]

This video starts with lies told by some British Imperialist whitewashing Washington role in the missile crisis. The Democratic Imperialist Kennedy was the one threatening Nuclear war. Cuba has never possessed nuclear weapons or had them on their territory unlike the UK, Canada and The US. .

[@Thedribblerr]

my grandparents grew up under him and he was evil, he drove my grandad to becoming a revolutionary and he ended up meeting castro and guevarra because of it lol

[@JiRiMa]

@@conceitedfication That comment was 4 years ago idiot

[@gabrielmcollazo6675]

US creates his own Frakenstines! Same as Russia and all the other Stone head CONGS!

[@hi_austin]

Heeey. That dude kinda looks like Justin Trudeau.

[@jamaicanification]

Castro was definitely authoritarian but this video left out a lot of facts about his life. (i)His international record wasn't just the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was also playing a central role in the anti-colonial struggles of the 3rd world such as the struggle against portuguese colonialism and apartheid in South Africa(which Nelson Mandela credited him for). (ii)Castro's legacy in Cuba wasn't just authoritarian. It was rooting out systemic racism against blacks, land reform for the peasant class, significant advances in women's rights, eradicating illiteracy and providing universal healthcare to Cubans. (iii)Part of the reason Castro became authoritarian(which does deserve critique) was due to American foreign policy to Cuba. When you have the greatest superpower constantly sponsoring attempts at regime change through things like attempted coups, multiple assassination attempts, sabotage operations like operation mongoose, and as well as using opposition groups to attempt to overthrow your government in operations like the Escambray Rebellion, it's not that surprising that you're going to rule your country in an authoritarian manner under those circumstances. Castro certainly does deserve critique for setting up an authoritarian regime, but the framing of him as just "an evil dictator" is way to simplistic(many in Africa and Latin America would disagree with that) and the circumstance that led to his actions also have to be factored in.

[@Truename586]

He was evil

[@JBBrickman]

Woa woa woa damn, out of all the dictators Fidel wasn’t all that bad but in the begging you make him sound like the Devil. I mean unlike most dictators at least he did a decent amount of good things...

[@cucumber623]

at least he kept his shoes on at the UN lol

[@ammarally3055]

@Vlavitir glutginskiya Castro didn't hace gulags. And he helped nelson madela

Please make a video on Pliny the Elder!

[@muzhikiviche3599]

Can you do one on Enver Hoxha or Leonid Brezhnev?

[@S.M.Plabon]

This man’s voice is fire

[@ahmedm9854]

Love the vids, Any chance of a Siad Barre profile ?

[@TOTALLYsup]

Good stuff. I think you know by now we love learning about psychopaths.

[@miketusz131]

Please do one about General Zhukov

[@ZeroEx131]

Unbiased biographies? In 2018? Hell yeah.

[@cobblegames]

SAXONS first sentence "evil dictator" - How is this biased?

[@13codemaster]

cobble he was the personification of the evil dictator

[@MnRCDad]

Mohammed Alshawi this is factual and not at all biased

[@ZeroEx131]

Dictator. Do you understand what that means?

[@13codemaster]

Reality’s Illusion ik its factual and all and even what i said disagrees with the first reply but merely mentioning dictator in the same sentence as a persons name is positive as the diplomatically acceptable name for such a governement is an autocratic one and the leader would be called an autocrat so this is slightly biased but in a way that is acceptable to even gorbachov as his people hated him the whole western world hated him and he could have started ww3 but never the less this is ever so slightly biased but then again its almost impossible to be unbiased at all as merely choosing to do someone specifically is being biased even he the presenter said it on visual politik that ofc we are not absolutely unbiased because u cant be but we try to remain within the facts as much as possible so this is truly as unbiased as it can be and yes i am agreeing with u just explaining y

[@HQ4575]

do Thomas Huxley please!!! i've been asking for too long

[@raykeith4126]

So he's the rage against the machine dude? God i love that band!

[@erikjasek9921]

you should do a biography on Jim Henson

[@annescholey6546]

You Muppet ☺

[@Chase-np2wm]

I love me some Simon.

[@jarabito001]

Hi there!! thank you very much for these videos, really appreciated Do you think you can make one about Gabriel Garcia Marquez? thank very much!

[@simondagger2209]

Hi Simon, would it be worth while doing a bio on that Camilo ceinfuegos guy, I would say the dude with the beard and the cigar but it seems to be part of the revolutionary uniform

[@KeepItAHunned]

I can’t look at Castro without thinking about John Snow.

[@Florian-yn3ur]

*jon snow

[@nauticalnovice9244]

2 seconds in and he already called him a dictator and evil, I'm sure this is going to be an unbiased video with 100% accurate information!

[@death4metal201]

Castro did good things but he was no saint

[@dog811]

I love this channel

[@GerardPerry]

BTW, Humberto Fontova has a great description of this in his books about Guevara and Castro.

[@giantcellphone5215]

very disappointing. i've been enjoying other episodes on subjects i know less about, and this one makes me think. no mention of the background of american intervention in south and central america, of the longest running embargo with which cuba was degraded , or the many profound positive effects of the revolution on most cubans. very disappointing.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

“Intervention”. What the west calls invasion, subversion, bombing, war crimes, overthrowing governments and genocide (when they do it).

[@musicaquecalma4134]

Giant Cellphone, I answer you about what you THINK you know about Cuba. The embargo does NOT affect the Cuban people!!!! No foreign nation has had anything to do with the destruction of Cuba, nor with the suffering of the people!!!!! As for the supposed good things created by the Revolution: what if his education, what if his health.... Everything is stories, legends and myths created by and from Fidel himself through his powerful intelligence and propaganda apparatus!!!!!!!! The Cuban people have been abused, raped, robbed, repressed for 63 years; and with hunger, the needs of EVERYTHING and TOTAL misery. The communist-leftist leaders manipulate with lies to seize ETERNAL power.

[@andyodee8344]

Please do a video on Michael Collins

[@Lexhanson]

I've been binge watching this channel and I notice that you have not done a single video on a philosopher.

[@newpakistanientertainmenti996]

Good job

[@Kandjungu]

Cuba helped liberate Namibia by training the local revolutionaries who were labeled terrorists by the British-backed South African apartheid government. Castro was a legend that helped free many African nations from their oppressors. The US hated him for that.

[@secretsmysteries8338]

Do one on Francisco Franco! His life and times are just as interesting as it is horrific. He was a survivor. Thank you.

[@kimobrien.]

Franco was a fascist dictator like Mussolini and Hitler.

[@9786oof]

In my Lat Am Rev class we stopped at the missile crisis I couldn't figure out where the catalyst was

[@zorskins]

Before the Beard had a beard his moustache was fantastic

[@sohrabnizoumi-berizi328]

It is noteworthy that this guy seldom mentions the role the west and the CIA played in the suffering of the people. In his Saddam programme he didn't mention the fact that the US supported, encouraged and facilitated him with obtaining chemical weapons in his invasion of Iran. Saddam also was tricked by the US ambassador in Baghdad in his invasion of Kuwait.

[@musicaquecalma4134]

Sohrab Nizoumi, In the case of Cuba, the United States has NOTHING to do with the destruction of the country, nor with the suffering of the people.

[@dowhatiwantc7637]

@@musicaquecalma4134lol the cia was all up in Latin america especially in the 60s 😂😂

[@musicaquecalma4134]

@@dowhatiwantc7637Yes, obviously, those were years when Cuban imperialism was in its ferment. The decades of the 60s and 70s marked the peaks of interference by Fidel Castro in Latin America and Africa.

[@91JOHNBLAZE]

How about doing "Black" Sam Bellamy. Love his story, they called him "The Robin Hood of the Seas!"

[@comradeskip4952]

Press F to pay respects

[@baldendoboriqua6391]

The Soviet Union dissolved in 91 not 89!

[@user-mr8xw1yq2e]

After watching 15 videos of this guy, I can say that all his work is heavely bias and misses a lot of crucial information that conveniently suited his biase view of historical events and figures. But he provided entertaining content and showed me names that I would otherwise never know. 6/10

[@rk27x]

yeah same it’s really bias

[@charity6372]

"heavely bias"...🤔 I think you meant heavily biased. Now pleeze inlytinn us wit your vast noledge of hystory..🤪

[@charity6372]

@@rk27x for Christ's sake learn how to speak people!!!

[@rk27x]

@@charity6372 so? why does it matter about how i talk

[@rk27x]

@@charity6372 i’m sorry but no one remembered asking for you to speak

[@tamaramagdalene1000]

Every time you say "and he went to a Jesuit school" I'm like "dun dun dunnnnn...."

[@mariano2078]

I Love The Music And I'm Even Planning To Move There To Play "El Son Montuno" 😁👍

[@MichaelBTryn]

This is certainty the formal counterpart of the mad lads series

[@imichelle95]

this is just my opinion but at least he admitted that his sugar cane plan didnt work, not a lot of people in power admit to their failures...

[@christianmorales8978]

Does that really matter? In the context of having thousands upon thousands of people executed and thousands upon thousands of political prisoners I think that's irrelevant. The suffering he brought onto that island and many families including my own is immeasurable and it was all for some socialist dream he had of a "utopia".

[@paulcoyne3866]

oh thats alright then luv

[@GrizzlyDaddams]

@@christianmorales8978 yeah, she aint to bright.

[@alexanderveritas]

*Since you already made a video about Castro and Che Guevara, you should also consider the idea of making one about William Alexander Morgan: the American Revolutionary of Cuba, who fought in the Escambray Rebellion.* *_He may not have been just as popular, but nonetheless, his short-lived experienced made important changes in the Cuban Revolution._*

[@thegifting267]

I find it odd that in his Che video he didn’t mention all the bad things that Che did and allowed to happen.

[@carlosramos5256]

alex: He was SHOT by fidelisky kastrovich when he realized fidelosky was komunist. He was ordered to kneel and when he refused, they shot him to his knees !

[@bujfvjg7222]

Hoe about how Nixon and Ragen are burning in hell, all pure evil!

[@pegcity4eva]

​@@thegifting267 you mean like going to concentration camps and shooting gay people with his 44 magnum every Sunday for fun?

[@Christian-os3sh]

Great as always, may I suggest Alfred Nobel for an episode? Really interesting bio in my opinion.

[@starsjosephfrost]

what’s the song they use on the video? the trumpet

[@saladbruh2625]

i see you do dictators often. Can you do a biography about Josip Broz Tito, an actual good dictator?

[@iNexTTx]

Salad Ass what’s wrong with Fidel he is equal with tito

[@stalinium4769]

Hhhmmmmmk communist, dictator and good?

[@saladbruh2625]

Stalinium yep :) an ally of tee west and the east

[@remasteredzero4076]

Stalinium a dictator can be good or bad, it all falls down on the actions

[@stalinium4769]

Remastered Zero true, Tito may be good but he is still a communist and communist dictators are quite unique..( I know nothing about tito btw)

[@Gian-jq9zk]

SIMON WHISTLER NEXT

[@elperrodelautumo7511]

Soon he will get his

[@gayrickgrimes]

usually i click on your videos hoping for some unbiased, fun learning and here we are

[@eliasmioud9783]

i really love your videos! pls make a video about Hannibal Barca and Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus!

[@MorbidDarkmoon]

Uhhh in the Bay of Pigs invasion the counter revolutionaries weren’t all simply “cut to pieces.” Some of them died in the fighting, yes, however, 1000+ counter revolutionaries were taken prisoner. Later, those prisoner would be sent back the United States in exchange for a large sum of medical supplies. This guy should not be making these videos. He keeps missing necessary little things or not elaborating enough in certain events that ends of being misinforming or come off as biased. At this point, I think people would be better off watching Crash Courses or better yet picking up a book.

[@lsimon343]

Liam neeson would have made a great Castro but he’s too old now:(

[@nicksmith2836]

I was just thinking this

[@itsAurora-zq8cb]

Omg yes I saw an uncanny resemblance there !

[@brentvenneman6710]

You should add all of the assignation attempts that failed.

[@brennalynnn]

This channel is so under appreciated tho. I just binge watched about 15 of these in 1 sitting