In case anyone needs this document out there in the marketplace of ideas:
Memorandum From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Mallory) to the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Rubottom). SUBJECT: The Decline and Fall of Castro.
Washington, April 6, 1960.
SUBJECT: The Decline and Fall of Castro
Salient considerations respecting the life of the present Government of Cuba are:
- The majority of Cubans support Castro (the lowest estimate I have seen is 50 percent).
- There is no effective political opposition.
- Fidel Castro and other members of the Cuban Government espouse or condone communist influence.
- Communist influence is pervading the Government and the body politic at an amazingly fast rate.
- Militant opposition to Castro from without Cuba would only serve his and the communist cause.
- The only foreseeable means of alienating internal support is through disenchantment and disaffection based on economic dissatisfaction and hardship.
If the above are accepted or cannot be successfully countered, it follows that every possible means should be undertaken promptly to weaken the economic life of Cuba. If such a policy is adopted, it should be the result of a positive decision which would call forth a line of action which, while as adroit and inconspicuous as possible, makes the greatest inroads in denying money and supplies to Cuba, to decrease monetary and real wages, to bring about hunger, desperation and overthrow of government.
The principal item in our economic quiver would be flexible authority in the sugar legislation. This needs to be sought urgently. All other avenues should likewise be explored. But first, a decision is necessary as to the line of our conduct. Would you wish to have such a proposal prepared for the Secretary?
[X] Yes [ ] No
LDM
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1958-60v06/d499
OP, as you study background on this issue, I recommend the 2016 documentary Donbass. Warning, there are some graphic scenes. A scene from the documentary which can give a small snapshot of some of the tensions in 2014: Former Ukrainian soldier talks about the burning of the Trade Union building in Odessa in 2014.
I also recommend checking out any videos and/or articles by Geopolitical Economy Report regarding Ukraine, which are usually thorough in giving background and context.
Over time, you should educate yourself on the topic of color revolutions as well as on things like the history about the Gehlen Organization/Reinhard Gehlen and OUN-B/Stepan Bandera and things like Operation Gladio to gain a comprehensive picture of the direct line of Nazi leadership going into NATO leadership and working with and fostering right-wing anti-communist forces throughout Europe and coordinating color revolutions (among other things) to suppress communism, as well as learn about the USA’s “strategic imperative” to drive and maintain a wedge specifically between the east and west of Eurasia while keeping western Europe as its subordinate, to prevent the rise of a Eurasian rival to US dominance. This strategy is explained for example in Brzezinski’s Grand Chessboard, with US figures recently involved in Ukraine, such as Victoria Nuland who played a role in the 2014 events, being proponents of this strain of US strategy, often euphemized with phrases like the “rules-based international order” in diplomatic language. This will help flesh out many of the “whys” of the various actors in this conflict.