Castro's Cuba Turns 50
Jan. 1, 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. Led by a young Fidel Castro, the revolution wrenched power from the American-backed Batista regime. Today, Cuba remains the only communist nation in the Western hemisphere, making Castro one of the most polarizing figures of modern times.
NPR's Tom Gjelten, who spent decades reporting on Cuba, takes a look back.
