ABSTRACT
The story of Fidel Castro can have few parallels in contemporary history. Most of the outstanding Third World leaders of the twentieth century like him emerged out of the anti-colonial struggles of the post-war period but none played such a prominent and restless part on the international stage and none survived as head of state for as long as he did. While he was in power, Castro survived nine US Presidents. It is difficult to think of many other political figures in the latter half of the last century who were so controversial and whose careers touched on so many issues of global significance: US hegemony, Soviet–American relations, Third World nationalism, revolution and social justice, Third World debt, war and peace in Central America and Africa.
