This book provides the definitive oral history of the Cuban revolution, and tells the powerful story of Cuba's struggle for liberation from the Batista dictatorship, its transition to socialism, and its evolving relationship with the rest of Latin American and the Caribbean. Drawing on a vast array of original testimonies, including interviews with more than seventy Cuban officials and former combatants, Dirk Kruijt examines the pivotal role of veterans and the post-revolution fidelista generation in shaping Cuba. He also reveals the untold story of the Departamento América, a clandestine and largely undocumented organization that was instrumental in exercising Cuban influence abroad. --Publisher's description. "The Cuban revolution served as a rallying cry to people across Latin America and the Caribbean. The revolutionary regime has provided vital support to the rest of the region, offering everything from medical and development assistance to training and advice on guerrilla warfare. Cuba and Revolutionary Latin America is the first oral history of Cuba's liberation struggle. Drawing on a vast array of original testimonies, Dirk Kruijt looks at the role of both veterans and the post-Revolution fidelista generation in shaping Cuba and the Americas. Featuring the testimonies of over sixty Cuban officials and former combatants, Cuba and Revolutionary Latin America offers unique insight into a nation which, in spite of its small size and notional pariah status, remains one of the most influential countries in the Americas."--Publisher's description