Raśl Castro and Cuba: A Military Story (Studies of the Americas) - Hardcover

Klepak, Hal

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0230340741 ISBN 13: 9780230340749

Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan, 2012

Synopsis

Raśl Castro and Cuba tells the story of the military life of the longest serving minister of defense of any country in recent times. While the picture that often emerges of Raśl Castro is that of a colorless younger brother of Fidel—a product essentially of that grander figure—this book analyzes Raśl Castro as a man of his own, a politician and an impressive military commander and organizer, as well as a highly original thinker on both military matters and wider national issues that have faced the Cuban state for more than half a century. Filling a gap in recent scholarship, it demonstrates that the government he has put into place in Cuba in the last four years is very much his, and is not, as some believe, a mere shadow of his brother's.

About this title

About the Author:

Hal Klepak is a professor of History and Warfare Studies at the Royal Military College of Canada. In addition to teaching, Klepak serves as special advisor to the Department of National Defense, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the army commander for Latin American security affairs. He has authored numerous books and articles, including Cuba's Military 1990-2005: Revolutionary Soldiers during Counter-Revolutionary Times (2005).

Review:

"Hal Klepak's most recent book is an excellent primer for understanding Cuba in the last five years. It is obviously a helpful study of the character of President Raul Castro, and by extension, of the extremely important role of the armed forces (which he commands) in Cuba, but it also helps to explain the fundamental dynamics in place since Fidel Castro ceded power to his brother in 2006. During this time, Cuba has changed more than in the past quarter-century, and it continues to do so. Absolutely essential reading for anybody interested in the approach implemented by the Cuban government in recent years."

- John Kirk, Dalhousie University, Canada

About this edition

• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 0230340741
• ISBN 13: 9780230340749
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 182