Fulgencio Batista: Cuba's Military Dictator

[@Biographics]

Join us in War Thunder for free using this link and get a premium tank or aircraft and three days of premium time as a bonus: v2.xyz/BiographicsWarThunder

[@corsewonder4761]

At 14.50 im pretty sure you mean a witch's brew and not a bitch's.

[@joseenriquesauraguerra4358]

I love your show but you are making a mistake Maximo Gomez was dominican and never Cuban president. He was a great hero to our country. Tomas Estrada Palma was Cuba republic first president and the one who crushed the partido independiente de color revolt

[@ronalddino6370]

Can you do a documentary on Jorge Rafael Videla

[@worldofdoom995]

Batista was probably a genuine reformer in the beginning but became corrupted with absolute power as happens far too often.

[@ShinigamiInuyasha777]

This happens in any society with too much sugar for not enought cofee...

[@RoniForeva]

frankcastle498 the road to hell is paved with good intentions

[@yudhiadhyatmikosiswono9082]

Yeah... it's all started from that, is always that.

[@muhammadtjokroaminoto4523]

Same as Soeharto

[@cyborgchicken3502]

@Otto von Bismarck well it was the corruption of the capitalist elite in Cuba at the time together with the US that lead to the communist dictatorship under Castro, communism is terrible yes but capitalism has also proven many times to also be corruptible and as brutal, Batista is an example of this... Anything and anyone can become corrupted, it's not a matter of social or economic systems really, more a result of human greed.... People can point fingers at capitalism or communism and throw out their biased accusations of which system is more evil but at the end of the day it really is just human greed and whichever systems are in place are just tools to fulfill that greed

[@amunra468]

Born in a poor family (Batista): Became a brutal dictator. Born in a rich family (Guevara): Became the icon of the revolution that toppled Batista. Conclusion: Life events are really unexpected

[@vesuv1u5]

Guevara: also became the murderous mad dog of Fidel, another brutal dictator. So yeah, life is crazy af.

[@judahslion5611]

@@vesuv1u5 Word life yo

[@Bronson37848]

@@vesuv1u5 Do you have actual proof Che Guevara murdered anyone who wasn’t an enemy combatant? Because I’ve read his 700 page biography by Jon Lee Anderson & I was not able to locate any specific time he murdered someone. Maybe you should look into the man himself instead of listing to angry Miami Cubans.

[@vesuv1u5]

@@Bronson37848 For the record, one could say anything about any mad person involved in political matters with someone whom one disagrees upon, like: "name one person Mengele killed that wasnt an enemy of war?" "Name a person Bin Laden killec or ordered to that wasn't an enemy of war". You need more than that, pal.

[@Bronson37848]

@@vesuv1u5 sure more contest. He killed Batista soldiers during combat & executed someone who legitimately betrayed the rebels to Batista (treason is punishable by death in the US too). Please read a detailed bio on the man before you smear him & call him a mass murderer.

[@ignitionfrn2223]

1:25 - Chapter 1 - Humble origins 5:00 - Chapter 2 - Sergeants in revolt 6:30 - Chapter 3 - Batista the puppet master 7:50 - Mid roll ads 9:25 - Chapter 4 - Out of the shadows 11:45 - Chapter 5 - Golpe ! 13:30 - Chapter 6 - Batista & the mob 15:30 - Chapter 7 - Viva la revolucion 18:35 - Chapter 8 - Secret door 20:20 - Chapter 9 - Farewell to havanna

[@rosestone5091]

Thanks! 👍🏽

[@LawAndHistoryIn5]

"If you lose count of the Cuban presidents...do not worry, so did he Cubans"... this killed me

[@CommissarTommy22]

Personally I'm looking forward to the Biographics episode on the dictator of Tropico known as El Presidente

[@ledzeppelin27]

I was just thinking about playing that after this

[@NamirahWolfrik]

It almost feels like that is this video lol

[@georget8008]

Who is he? Please explain

[@flashfm7456]

@@georget8008 He's the main character from the video game Tropico (made by Limbic Entertainment). It's a bit like Sim City, only with more guns and Cuban music.

[@nikkigriffin08]

OMFG this just brought me back to being 11 yrs old and playing that game, didn't know anyone else who played it at the time, hadn't heard of it since, glad to know I wasn't the only one lol

[@m0n6rch]

I’m related to Batista. He’s my great grandfather’s uncle, my great grandfather is actually still alive and in his mid 90’s unfortunately he never met him as his parents migrated to Chile before the revolution. I have the last name but only now learning about the family history.

[@krupke525]

If I had a buck every time I saw someone in KZbin comments claiming ancestry to some of theses individuals 😂 I’d have a lot of extra dollars.

[@lolli9788]

Yuh related to such a bloody puppet for the US? Well well !!

[@fuego421]

My grandfather was in the M-26-7 so I am required to hate you but it is not from my heart.

[@luislaplume8261]

Well if circumstances changed for the better and Communism ends in Cuba where I and my late parents were from, afte relearning about the failures of previous Cuban Presidents, you might make a good President with a national constitution and Bill of Rights based upon the American experience. Good luck God willing.

[@chrisdiaz9011]

​@@luislaplume8261 what are you on about lmao

[@amit_druker6476]

Video on Andrew Carnegie? The man had one hell of an incredible life.

[@carolynpennock7061]

He is in a long line of greedy dictators.

[@thegunslinger8806]

Truly a Latin American patriot, that's all were good for, voting in all the wrong people and being sheep to the governments shepherd.

[@RyoKasai25]

@Draco lord Kinda funny seeing how the same happened with Castro. If Castro was deposed the history would have repeated again?

[@thebuddhaofknowledgemichae2486]

Draco lord the middle class under him were the backbone of the country. Power corrupts like Fidel

[@thebuddhaofknowledgemichae2486]

RyoKasai25 Castro is dead. But Russia is back in Cuba

[@marckcarbonelloifveteran410]

He was an Angel compared to Fidel Castro!!

[@Discosaturn]

The Batista Years: Back when US tourists vacationed in Cuba and so did Lucy and Ricky and even the Mafia.

[@Matt_from_Florida]

My mom (who passed away last year) went there for a week a year before the revolution. Her father took her there to take her mind off of marrying my father. Didn't work.

[@comtedeloach2]

Ricky was from Cuba.

[@Discosaturn]

@@comtedeloach2 Yep, you got that right. :)

[@AL_THOMAS]

When I went there were loads of Americans there in 2001.

[@vlacula]

Is any video talking about Hugo Chavez?

[@leonelpena2069]

Can you please do one on Rafael Leonidas Trujillo who was president of the the Dominican Republic from 1924 to 1961 his story is very interesting and fun fact he didnt care for Batista just his money

[@BountyFlamor]

Great idea.

[@sebastianduran2022]

We need a Trujillo episode!!!!

[@jesussalvador8495]

BountyFlamor did you ever see the tele novela el chivo it’s based on him

[@kennethlucas7473]

Yes. Please do an episode of Trujillo and how he was ashamed of his black ancestors and how he convinced Black Dominicans that had no black blood in them.

[@sebastianduran2022]

Kenneth Lucas I have no idea how he managed to convince us of that lol. Shameful. And you know what’s even worse? Back home you still hear people saying “Trujillo venga a ve’!”(Trujillo come and see) like they’re asking for him to come back

[@yirapatricia]

Batista, the dictator the United States really love

[@Matt_from_Florida]

I live in Florida & speak Spanish, but Aristizabal is a very unique name. Is it Basque or Columbian?

[@DerEchteBabo]

The US loves every dictator in South America who is not a leftist, they would rather let Hitler lead a country than a social democrat who was elected democratically

[@BXGUY73]

@@DerEchteBabo VERY TRUE

[@pinheadlarry1977]

@@DerEchteBabo and that's why you have boomers Cubans in Florida who hate bernie Sanders because Fidel castro took away their plantations and slaves

[@jose1982one]

Brilliant,spoken like a typical LatinAmerican Useful......

[@darkchocolate1083]

Maybe a video on Romania dictator nicolae ceausescu?

[@paungabriel9360]

Gets in power Condamns the ussr intervention in Czechoslovakia Opens the borders for 3 years and poses as a pro western leader Gets money from the IMF Talks about demilitarization of the 2 superpowers but invests a ton of money in armament. Overall Romanian industry grows. Cuts from basic human needs to pay the IMF debt. Gorbachev comes in power in the USSR. Doesn't align his country to the perestroika refoms and closes the borders even to warrsaw pact countries. Debt is payed. Anounces that the debt is payed. Still doesn't give basic human needs and borders stay closed. 1989 revolution starts, Ceaușescu is exceuted and Romania's "democracy" begins. And except from us enterning the European Union we pretty much had ans still have the same problems that Russia faces with filthy rich oligarchs and corrupt politicians. End of story :)) (i hope that you are not romanian because you might know everything I've just said).

[@itsblitz4437]

Oh yes & his wife of course.

[@alexanderveritas]

*Not a bad idea at all. I'd really like to see an unbiased point of view about the Romanian Dictator **_Nicolae Ceausescu._*

[@itsblitz4437]

@@alexanderveritas emphasis on the word "unbiased".

[@ruturajshiralkar5566]

@@paungabriel9360 You forgot, Ceusescu was named Nikolai bcoz his father was pissed-drunk. Ceausescu initially started off as a Shoemaker in Bucarest. Ceausescu was a Stalinist but broke-off from USSR during Brezhnev Years.

[@luisalonso5754]

Big mistake Máxino Goméz wasn't a President of Cuba, he was the Commander in Chief (Mayor General) of the Liberation army 1895 to 1898.

[@leeboy26]

They got their Gomezs' mixed up. They meant José Miguel Gómez.

[@jose1982one]

What do you expect from Armchair "Historians" with their own youtube channels? like every other Leftist out here parroting talking points from a washed up ideology.

[@BTScriviner]

@@jose1982one somebody's triggered.

[@maritzalesassier1393]

I’m from DR and married to a Cuban. I have read a lot about Cuba and at this moment and I’m reading “ An American History Cuba”. Written by Ada Ferrer and never mentioned that Maximo Gomez has been president. Please, check your notes and fix the mistake. Thanks.

[@hakeemfullerton8645]

Can you Please do a video on Congolese Politician Patrice Lumumba

[@brett4264]

Yeah, all three people, who know who you are talking about, will watch it.

[@hakeemfullerton8645]

@@brett4264 Patrice Lumumba, a former Politician for the Congo

[@jamesclendon4811]

@@brett4264 There are probably a lot of others like me who are far more familiar with Lumumba than with 75% of the figures that people ask for. But then again I'm old: I was in school when he was in the news every day--for a while.

[@dant.3505]

I would like to see it.

[@commentingisawasteoftime7195]

The former colonies could still benefit from his ideas of decolonization of agriculture and food. Too bad the CIA assassinated him. He probably wouldn't have towed the line for the Soviet Union once the Congo was more established and develped.

[@nicolajrath1570]

"Nothing challenges one's belief in equality quite like becoming rich and powerful. Indeed, rare is the revolutionary who doesn't become, on some level, like Orwell's pigs, insisting that while all animals were created equal, some were created more equal than others." - John Green

[@thomasgrabkowski8283]

Pretty ironic how right wing dictator Batista came from a poor background while communist revolutionary Castro came from rich background

[@vikmixedandproudconservati2095]

Also Castro was from a white rich family, while Batistas parents were mixed race. Both of Batistas parents had Black (African) blood, he also had some Spanish, Chinese and Taino (Native Indigenous Carribean) blood.

[@carapo66]

13:10 no wonder Uncle Sam was pissed off when the industries were expropriated and the Mob kicked out.

[@w3bclone]

9:17 to skip the ad

[@chalino739]

but it's funny to listen to simon awkwardly explain and play war thunder

[@darksydesamy]

Best informational channel on KZbin.

[@darksydesamy]

Michele Frisoli yeah but not everyone WANTS to.

[@darksydesamy]

Michele Frisoli it’s just a comment bro. Take a chill pill.

[@tms-fx9zs]

This was an excellent report sharing unknown facts about Batista and his rise to power and gaining control of Cuba. Thumbs-Up.

[@emantaylor2740]

Please make a video on Paul Kagame of Rwanda. From the lowest to one of the most effective leaders in our contemporary world

[@enqrbit]

They dont make videos on living people for legal reasons

[@javierlinera1707]

Please do an episode on trujillo, a much more impactful dictator in the region

[@goodchessactor]

Just to add more information that would be Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, dictator of the Dominican Republic.

[@lsunav]

That is a matter of debate. Trujillo was more of a monster.

[@javierlinera1707]

@Bobby Knuckles You seriously must be joking, trujillo was the sixth richest man in the world at the time. His sphere of influence in the U.S. Senate and the world was unparalleled for being the leader of such a small nation. He even came to be a great friend of Francisco Franco. Assasination of other countries sovereign leaders is no joke and trujillo's regime even lead intelligence operations abroad.

[@clintongraves8806]

Sadly,there is no biography of Batista’s life after 1952.

[@maxtroy8511]

Would be nice to see a video on a Nigerian dictator. They've had so many.

[@lulassong6524]

Idi Amin, Tshombé...grotesque!

[@samuelwoolwineiv7886]

@@lulassong6524 Idi Amin was Ugandan

[@fvckyoutubescensorshipandt2718]

20:26 Those must have been some good horror movies to make him puke in his garden. I bet the plants didn't appreciate it, all that extra acidity.

[@rebelliousnature4795]

The name you chose to create kind of makes me want to do the same....

[@aaronmarks9366]

Next do an episode on Arius, the last dictator of Val Verde, killed by a special forces commando whose daughter he had ordered kidnapped. Or his top general, Ramon Esperanza, who died in an unfortunate plane explosion at Dulles Airport in D.C.

[@ronalddino6370]

Arius was a Leftwing Dictator Ramon Esperanza was a Right wing Dictator/ Drug lord

[@mariatamayo1642]

Major error at 2:37 - you confused Máximo Gómez, the great Cuban hero, with José Miguel Gómez. It was the latter that was responsible for disbanding the PIC.

[@hanglee5586]

He sounds like F. Marcos of the Philippines who looted millions of usd too and escaped with the huge cache.

[@chaepeanut9372]

And both were US sponsored dictators.

[@AverytheCubanAmerican]

My grandma fled during the Revolution, nice to see you talking about him

[@joseantoniolago5857]

@overclockeador For sure a wanna be commie, does NOT live in Cuba.

[@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676]

@@joseantoniolago5857 Well Cuba is better for Cuban now then it was under Batista. It's still terrible but Cubans do live better then they did back then, when only tourists lived well.

[@LocalHeretic-ck1kd]

1940: Batista el presidente bueno 1952: Batista el dictador no bueno

[@steveirwinproductions2018]

Batista bueno senor

[@imichelle95]

THE TRANSITION MUSIC ON THIS EPISODE HAD ME DANCIN'!!!!!

[@TheLocalLt]

Only thing I knew about Batista’s Cuba before this vid was the Al Pacino scene lol

[@BXGUY73]

Sounds like you probably believed all the propaganda lies the LAME-stream media told you about Cuba under Castro.

[@Rod9897]

I would love to see an episode on Trujillo, the Dominican strong man

[@Rod9897]

@Bobby Knuckles I know. But it would be interesting to learn more about my country's history.

[@Rod9897]

@GERALD N Trujillo was extremely racist. DR was one of the only countries in WW2 that accepted Jewish refugees bc he wanted "more white people to dilute the African lineage." I'm not saying I want to a video about Trujillo bc I admire him, I just want to learn more. The same way he did a video on Argentinian and Chilean dictators. Haitian leadership is corrupt, and Dominican leadership, is antagonistic. I love my country's culture, but I'm not proud of their actions and treatment of Haitians.

[@stevecooper7883]

@@Rod9897 Cool it with the anitsemitic remarks

[@Rod9897]

@@stevecooper7883 what did I say that was antisemitic?

[@Decanochev]

A friend from the DR told me that Trujillo received the Jews to spite Hitler for not keeping a promise of funds for his army.

[@VR36030]

Even when he "became evil" in the 50s, he still didn't execute Castro when Castro was captured the first time. Interesting.

[@rasiel957]

Bautista was a close friend to Fidel's father and godfather to his brother Raul.

[@gaius_enceladus]

Really interesting video! I had heard of Batista but knew very little about him, other than he was the guy in power before Castro came along. This video filled in the gaps really well!

[@eugenecroswell6986]

Another great bio but yeah something changed I think while in Florida he got pulled into the under world and feeling defeated he decided to milk Cuba for what he could and split in my opinion

[@sikecar534]

He went from socialist/social-democrat to full-scale fascist in just few years. 🙄

[@elkamalito9641]

In the US supported him.

[@nataliekennedy4646]

And then king just kidding

[@nataliekennedy4646]

And he was just a dictator not a fascist clearly you don’t understand the true meaning of the name

[@kikujade]

clearly you have no idea what socialism or social democracy means

[@lulassong6524]

@@nataliekennedy4646 😂😂😂

[@MrMoose-vf8jd]

Can you please do Gutavus Adolphus, King of Sweden during the Protestant reformation and concidered the father of modern modern warfare

[@pyromania1018]

Eustace: "Got more sugarcane?"

[@stephenmarcus9601]

Jackson Rushing Purdy novel?

[@pyromania1018]

@@stephenmarcus9601 No, Courage the Cowardly Dog.

[@generalkenobi5533]

I think Batista's motives were probably solid at first. It's hard to say for sure. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

[@mt_baldwin]

Batista looks like classic example of "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." He probably meant everything he did, both good and then later the bad, twisted by absolute power.

[@audiosurfarchive]

Have a feeling YT gonna demonetized this one. Not sure why; just can't put my finger on it exactly..

[@PhuckedUpPhilosophy]

youtube doesnt want people to discuss communism or fascism because a working population communicating freely about these topics is a threat to evil megacorporations

[@PhuckedUpPhilosophy]

@@audiosurfarchive yeah well 99% of people need it spelled out for them because they are brainwashed consumerist sheep

[@PhuckedUpPhilosophy]

Stephen Jenkins they demonetize anything that threatens the current status quo which includes libertarian voices. why would big tech like libertarians? you think they want someone who’s gonna fight their puppet government and bust up their monopoly? libertarians don’t like ultra powerful tech companies at all.

[@Shadowgunner785]

Hey Simon, you should think about doing a video on Jan Smuts the former South African Prime Minister and whitey Bulger the Irish gang leader from Boston. I feel like they would be good ideas to research, especially whitey.

[@napoleonbonaparteempereurd4676]

Many Afrikkaaners in my country view him as a traitor, For helping the English who built concentration camps in the Boer War and burnt down Boer Farms leaving many homeless.

[@TheSwampian]

You guys should do one about Sam Walton. He actually lead a pretty interesting life, but people typically only know him as the guy who created Walmart.

[@chloel.8007]

Haga un episodio sobre las hermanas Mirabal o Rafael Trujillo. Ellos eran del mismo país pero las hermanas le eran contra la dictadura de él.

[@bingeltube]

Recommendable! But there were too many commercials interrupting this time!

[@waikatowizard1267]

Simon, are you much of a warthunder player? or just advertise for it? just curious. love watching your videos, about people and places I'd otherwise not learn about. Keep up the good work, might see you on the battlefield.

[@RonnieOP]

You mentioned Meyer Lansky and Lucky Luciano... Is there a Biographics an either of these two yet?

[@cdeschrevel5341]

Yes

[@ericthompson861]

Batista: A man that started with the noblest of intentions and let the power get to his head. This and associating himself with the wrong people led to his demise.

[@metroplexchl]

You missed a great deal. Batista's liberal use of extreme violence was well documented. Why was this not discussed? The ultimate irony being that Castro gained massive strength with each use of Batista's reckless mass violence. But then he took control and decided to continue the extreme violence to reach HIS dream for Cuba......not the Cuban's dream. Such a sad tale. Such a beautiful country. So touched by the sullied hands of evil men. It could've been wonderful. It still can be.

[@josephgriffin2388]

Or.... just more evil men. Perhaps this is as good as it gets.

[@Mike-hu3pp]

"Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely" time and time again.

[@dmd1598]

Do a video on Ataturk

[@jamiledwards4406]

Batista had good intentions with a cause but it was flaud and his greed and tyranny was just egregious and the management of the economy was in dire need of reformation...

[@leeboy26]

You confused José Miguel Gómez and Máximo Gómez.

[@j-henry7391]

these things are full of mistakes

[@GruulBS]

Do General Mikhail Kutuzov, the man who defeated Napoleon with the great weapon, Russian winter.

[@moustachio05]

Only for hitler to make the same mistake

[@marcoroberts9462]

@@moustachio05 what halted the German advance was their completely overstretched supply lines, panzer units advancing too fast (specifically those under Heinz Guderian) and fatigue from 6 months of constant advance. The winter was a factor yes, but not the main one

[@anactualalpaca7016]

My gf is Cuban and happens to have the last name "Batista"

[@gregb6469]

Does she have any of El Presidente's money?

[@jmantime]

Both Batista and Castro were what we would today call Tankies , they became what they claimed to be fighting against. Batista : I'm gonna Fight Fascism !! *Became Fascist* Castro : I'm Fighting for Cuba's National Independence !! *Became Authoritarian Communist*

[@royperkins3851]

The difference is that Fidel ,Raul, and che were closeted communist all the time . Batista was a reformer who turned malevolent dictator irony is that had he staid the course he could have been remembered fondly instead of dying in disgrace!

[@panchibilin]

This video is brilliant, great take.

[@roywilkowski2326]

That's gotta be the most rapid rise in rank in military history by anyone in any active military; Sgt to Colonel. Impressive.

[@twisted_void]

Beat your assasins by two days? This guys had (for him personally) the most interesting life all the way to the end.

[@Camir0215]

Thank you for this video. Most young Cubans and exiled Cubans in the US don’t know about/reject this side of history. To them, Castro is the only evil player in Cuba’s history. People need to know Castro rose to power because people were angry with Batista and wanted change, and Castro became that saving grace. Unfortunately, he also became corrupt with power and and here we are today. As a Cuban, I hope one day my people can truly be free of dictators and US backed corruption.

[@UptownNYC]

They will NEVER be free. Because unlike Batista, when Castro took power he took ALL THE WEAPONS FROM THE PUBLIC. Now they people can only protest in the streets and nothing happens other than beatings and midnight kidnappings for those who demonstrate.

[@lebronbrady6638]

@@UptownNYC Stfu Castro gave his people literacy and free healthcare and education and housing while Batista let his people get sexually abused by tourists taking advantage of young woman while his people slept on the streets not knowing how to read

[@radicalizeme]

I’m curious, would you say Batista was worse than Castro? Just trying to learn more. Thanks for your perspective 😊

[@ramosman0469]

@@last.atlantean I honestly believe if all latin countries got together we would be unstoppable.

[@NicolasJimenezBarea]

​@@ramosman0469We should make a latin american EU

[@ryanrizzo4869]

There should be a

[@esteban140_gaming]

Would it be alright if you were to do a video on Jose Marti (can't get the accents for some reason)? I have been a gigantic fan of your channel, and I would love to see one for Him.

[@johnfleming7879]

I have heard that Unions were still pretty strong before Castro- at least in the building trades

[@lukenineteentwentyseven5051]

i grow tired of this sympathy to fascists.

[@RS-wu1dt]

Lift the embargo. Cuba should be able to make business with the world without restrictions.. Maybe then their country would prosper. The U.S has no right in dictating who they want in power in a sovereign country.

[@khalilal-haddad5370]

Not maybe it actually would prosper. The only reason Communist and Socialist countries in the past couldn't prosper was because of the West sanctions and embargos. The Capitalist didn't want to show or their people to see that Communism does prosper so they did all these bad things and made the lie Communism always fails.

[@TheSMR1969]

​@@khalilal-haddad5370based

[@alisgray]

Darling Simon, and I say this with love less than 1:30 in, Santaria. Not Santiera.. It's riitualisti,c. Phoenemes martter. XOX

[@ucouco78]

Do Trujillo next

[@Treepelt]

Listen Simon, I love ALL of your channels and videos. I regularly listen to them like podcasts at work and even home. That being said, PLEASE START A GAME CHANNEL. Just the snippet of you playing War Thunder had me in stitches. I’d watch a game stream by you any day! Anyways keep up the awesome content 👍👍

[@RTSBOWL]

When that sqeaky toy sound happend, my dog was like "wtf where is it?!?" 10:17 11:08 he did it again 😂😂😂

[@arvismena5180]

Dude, Maximo Gomez did not crushed the PIC. he was never president, it was Jose Miguel Gomez.

[@saul1001]

There should be over a million subscribers by now.

[@3535-j5z]

Love ur vids keep it up mate

[@cartermiller853]

Power doesn’t always corrupt, but when it does there’s no going back. Unfortunately he stopped using his power for good :(

[@alexanderveritas]

*Give even the most pious of man absolute power. And you'll see him slowly become a corrupted madman.* *_This is why power should never be handed to a single man, no one can widstand such a responsability without being consumed by it:_*

[@KingofAwesomness14]

That moment where the magical vision saves your life!

[@TreDogOfficial]

Earlier this week a 70 year old Cuban man I work with said to me that Cuba was good before the Castro regime. Ross was his name and he said he has never returned to the Island since he left as a young man. Me personally I think Batista was merely the lesser of two evils. Simon nailed it when he pointed to the corruption and dependance on sugar cane. Whether you have capitalism or communism, if you are such a banana republic you will tend to have virtually slave labor with no upward mobility. Saudi Arabia does well with oil merely because it is such a liquid asset (no pun intended). I believe communism is essentially what a population turns to as a desperate cling for survival. Just like how the body runs out of nutrition and begins to feed on itself, people look to redistribution when they lose all hope in the market. Such a system is a downward spiral however. But it might be an outward reflection of an inner phenomenon.

[@XxfishpastexX]

This is an interesting opinion

[@bookswithbenjamin8902]

Well said. You communicated your opinion very clearly.

[@TreDogOfficial]

From The Westside With Love ‘preciate that :)

[@TreDogOfficial]

Alejandro Reyes thanks :) I’m glad Simon asked us all to comment. It feels good

[@thegunslinger8806]

Well it's a good view of it but Latin americans much like people in the middle east, Africa and Asia dont really know about the dangers of communism and will cling to the first thing that comes that promises them their troubles will end. Communism sounds good on paper but it needs monsters like Stalin, Hitler,Mussolini and many others to be implemented because truth is well.... Latin Americans have and always will be Peasants and serfs, they view government has this all powerful, all encompassing force for fixing there problems.

[@hannahskipper2764]

A Sergeant snaps his fingers and becomes a Colonel. Gotta be a recipe for corruption. 😬 At least he wasn't a failed artist. 😬

[@KageNoTora74]

I used to have a neighbor who was in Havana with Batista when he announced "I am no longer in control of the country. You might want to return to America." Soon thereafter the Communists had seized Havana.

[@TheArtisticwarrior]

Can you do Robert Jordan? I consider him Tolkien's successor in fantasy writing. His 14 book epic is being turned into a show on Amazon Prime as I type. I also fell his life story is interesting enough for you guys to work with

[@pedroberrizbeitia6351]

In my opinion, like Hugo Chávez (and there's really no way to determine whether this is true or not, but it is my belief), his intentions were initially good. But much like John Emerich Edward Daldberg-Acton once wrote to the Bishop Mandell Creighton in 1887: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." He found himself in a position of great power, and he couldn't help himself. He was turned. Nero also went through a similar descent into madness when he was made emperor. He was wildly popular at first, and then became one of history's biggest antagonists.

[@deschutesmaple4520]

By 1:25 I simply couldn't take the hyper commercialized schmaltzy style. Back to the other search results...

[@ChiefKene]

Sounds like he had good intentions as most but absolute power corrupts

[@bookswithbenjamin8902]

Rns

[@LB-qd3bt]

Funny in school they never taught us the first Batista, always the second one. We had to write long essays on how horrible he was and of course how the US government helped. They never spoke about the PIC which was destroyed by Máximo Gómez who remains a National hero, so that was nice to know

[@dannymercedes1185]

I think he might be wrong about Maximo Gomez, he was never president of Cuba. I think he might be referring about President Jose Miguel Gomez.

[@nigel_saxon]

Mr. Burns: So you say Batista's gone. Did you know that? Homer Simpson: I had no idea. Mr. Burns: In that case, just take us to whoever's in charge

[@catherinepisces2107]

Simon another fantastic Bio on a interesting,cunning,intelligent leader with a small problem with power and money. Good Job yet again. Please keep them coming. Can't wait to start Geo next. Love your vision of the world 😎🤔

[@generalissimolam3044]

Please do one on ngo dinh diem.

[@elwin38]

And Madame Nhu. She was a story on her own.

[@j.e.pouccoui3]

5:40 A Charming Guy With An Entrancing Voice Slowly Working Up The Ranks To Become One Of The Top Dog In An Unstable Country In 1933? I Can't See THIS Going Badly.

[@vincentmorris6087]

Lol I see what you did with the Cadiz/ Bitches Brew thing lol. Wild Miles Davis Reference lol. Big Ups.

[@del.see.oh.89]

Can you please do a video on Rafael Trujillo?

[@悠海榎本]

Please do a biography of Andres Bonifacio? A patriotic hero of the Philippine Revolution of 1896.

[@jannerantanen5121]

LMAO of course Simon does a War Thunder sponsorship and then shows footage of him griefing a teammate by pushing him into sight of fire :D

[@dankmaul2019]

Thank you Simon for making this video, been looking forward to it

[@NaZtRdAmUs]

If your going to talk about Batista you also really need to do a full Bio on Meyer Lansky who helped Cuba out with Casinos.

[@ArianiMauve999]

Know Well This Brutal Ex Friend.

[@davyboywilliams]

So we got videos on Batista, Fidel, Che, now all we need a video on Raul.

[@kingdeplorable6975]

2 ads during your promotion...also an ad. I'll flag for spam because that's what that was.

[@Gunter_Severloh]

Simon do a biography of Simo Häyhä

[@bobbiemitchell1738]

11 presidents, if you count both 2 term presidents. No, you don’t? Then there are 7 presidents.