As part of his Master's program at State University of New York's Empire State College, John Locke's research on revolution and Cuba produced the following papers:

Dissecting Revolution:
A Study of Spanish Anatomy
Long before there was Batista in Cuba, there was another dictator in Spain. The fall of General Miguel Primo de Rivera's regime in 1930 lead to the establishment of the short-lived Second Republic— a loose coalition of parties ranging from right to left. As the left began to prevail, the extreme right coalesced behind General Francisco Franco and destroyed the Republic. Many who survived the subsequent purge escaped to Cuba. It is worth exploring this branch of the root system of Castro's Revolution. This essay is an analysis of those events using Crane Brinton's Anatomy of Revolution as a frame of reference.

The Face of Persuasion
When a face alone is identified with a philosophy, dogma, or movement, it can be assumed that the person behind that face, whether his or her position is right or wrong, just or unjust, must be a master at influence and persuasion. Che Guevara’s famous candid portrait taken in Cuba during a public appearance was, at one time, perhaps the most reproduced and displayed image worldwide of a political figure. Instantly associated with the call to rout the influence of imperialism from developing countries, and the violent overthrow of the capitalist “establishment,” Guevara’s countenance became an icon for radical, left-wing, populist movements around the world. This paper examines the personality traits that enabled Guevara to rise to one of the highest ranks in Castro's Revolution— and to fall for a trap that he, himself warned against.

Liberal Interventionism and the Right to Self Defense:
Doctrines of Convenience or Nobility?
As one Cuban official said about the Bush administration during the filming of Strait Talk, "They've attacked Iraq, they can attack Cuba, too." Although this paper does not address Cuba directly, it does examine factors that influence US foreign policy within the context of George W. Bush's call for war with Iraq. Accusing the regime of developing weapons of mass destruction, abusing its own people and supporting terrorism— these charges were used to justify Bush's action against Iraq. And the same charges have been leveled against Cuba.

Constructive Engagement:
When it’s an Option and Why it’s Not
It seems that if one can rationalize the use of constructive engagement to attempt to influence regimes as repressive as those of South Africa during the era of Apartheid, the Soviet Bloc during the Cold War, and China today, to name just a few, surely the potential for success of a similarly constructed policy toward Cuba is not that hard to imagine. What makes the Cuban situation different? This paper attempts to answer that question.

Here are some reference materials that were useful in preparing for the production of this documentary and others we found later that are just worth reading.

Bardach, A. (2002). Cuba confidential: love and vengance in Miami and Havana. New York: Random House.
Editor's note: If you want to try to understand the complex relationship between Cuban exiles in the US and their bretheren across the Straits, this is a good place to start.

Blum, W. (1995). Killing hope: U.S. military and CIA interventions since World War II. Monroe, Maine: Common Courage Press.

Brinton, C. The anatomy of revolution. Rev. ed. New York: Vintage House, 1965.

Corbett, B. (2002). This is Cuba: an outlaw culture survives. CAmbridge, Ma: Westview Press.

Crews, K. (2000). Copyright law & graduate research: new media, new rights, and your new dissertation. Available: Proquest information and learning: http://www.umi.com/hp/Support/Dservices/copyrght

Dickson, S. (Director). (1994). Last days of the revolution. [Videotape] Pensacola: University of West Florida/PBS Video.

Dolgin, G. & Franco, V. (Directors). (1993). Cuba va. [Videotape]. Dir. Gail Vincente. San Francisco: Cuba Va Video Project.

Engles, W., & Cooper, W. (Producers). (1960). Castro, Cuba and Communism: danger on our doorstep [Videotape]. New York: WPIX TV/Desilu.

Franchossi, G. (Ed.) (2003, April 20). Terrorist plan to destabilize Cuba. Granma, pp. 1, 6.

Graduate Catalog 2002-2003. (2002). State University of New York, Empire State College. Saratoga Springs.

Hampe, B. (1977). Making documentary films and reality videos. New York: Henry Hjolt and Company.

Jatar-Hausmann, A. (1999). The Cuban Way: Capitalism, Communism and Confrontation. West Hartford: Kumarian Press.

Kaplowitz, D.(1989). Anatomy of a failed embargo: U.S. sanctions against Cuba. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.
Editor's note: This is the quintessential review of the US Embargo against Cuba. If you only read one book on the subject, this is the one to read!

MAS, S. & Ricardo, R. (2003, April 13). U.S. directed terrorism and subversion. Granma, pp. 1-3.

Mobray, J. (2002, May 24). Cuba is different: Why the China argument doesn't hold. Available: National Review: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/comment-mowbray052402.asp

O'Brien, R. (1998). Cuba and the United States: Approaches to Engagement. In Emerging from conflict: Improving US relations with current and recent Adversaries (pp. 7-11) Warrenton, Virginia: The Stanley Foundation.

Perez, F. (2003). We are not prepares to renounce our sovereignty, Press conference by Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cuba Felipe Perez Roque Havana: Editoria Politica.

Rafferty, K. (Director). (1999). The last cigarette. [Videotape]. New York: New Yorker Video.

Reagan, R. (1985). Remarks and a question-and-answer session with reporters on signing the executive order prohibiting trade and certain other transactions involving South Africa [online]. Available: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/resource/speeches/1985/90985a.htm

Ritter, R. & Kirk, J. (Eds.). (1995). Cuba in the international system. New York: St. Martin's Press.

Smith, W. & Kandau, A. (2002). Cuba on the terrorist list: In the defense of the nation or domestic political calculation? International Policy Report. Washington, DC: Center for International Policy.

Smith, W. (2001). End the travel ban to Cuba. In Solorzano, J. (Ed.) Cuban reader. (pp. 36-40) Cuban reader. San Francisco: Global Exchange.
Editor's note: Wayne Smith is, in our opinion, the foremost expert on US-Cuban Relations. You can find many of his essays and articles on the Center for International Policy Web site. You can also see him in the Heat from the North, Freedom to Travel, and Peaceful Transition to Democracy video clips on this Web site from the Strait Talk documentary .

Solorzano, J. (Ed.) (2002). Cuban reader. San Francisco: Global Exchange.

Suckling, J. (2001, June). Dreaming of Cuba. Cigar Afficianado, June 2001, 68-152.

Thomas, H. (1998). Cuba or the pursuit of freedom. New York: De Capo Press

U.S. Congress House Committee on U.S.-Cuba Relations (1989). U.S.-Cuba relations: Where are we heading? Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

United States House of Representatives (2002). Treasury and general government appropriations act, 2003. Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress. Available: Library of Congress Thomas Legislative Information on the Internet:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r107:48:./temp/~r1073kkuTj:e266932:

Valladares, A. (1986). Against All Hope. New York: Knopf
Editor's note: We received a very passionate note from a visitor to this site that suggested that this bibliography could use a few more references to literature expressing the anti-castro position. This is a book he recommends.

Wagner, B. (2000, September 26). Wanted: A China strategy. Available: National Review: http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/commentprint092700a.html

Wohl, M. (2004). Editing techniques with Final Cut Pro. Berkley: Peachpit Press.