Episode 132   is the first fully dedicated episode covering Fidel Castro in what will be a mini series of episodes that covers Castro from his beginning. This current series will take us  all the way through his triumphant toppling of the Batista government on January 1, 1959.  This first episode chronicles Fidel Castro's background, and his early years at the University of Havana. We explore his greed and avarice as well,chronicling some of his accumulated wealth as a dictator which Forbes estimated to be in excess of 900 million dollars, and estimate calculated  quite some time ago.   The aftermath and repercussions of Batista's coup would give  rise and voice to the  young Fidel Castro as a revolutionary force in Cuba. It is here on this island nation where  the story eventually  converges around the modern Cubans, CIA men and the mafia.  All in one place.  Join us in this continuing miniseries on Cuban history  as we continue to set the stage and  explore  the forces that were shaping the world in that era of the twentieth century. It's history that   immerses us in the  Cuban story whose politics, geography, and economic circumstances would all collide and create an epicenter of geopolitical consequences. Consequences that would intersect  in a crescendo right at the moment that JFK was coming to the Presidency. Understanding the leadup and history of Cuba is critical to this part of the journey that is JFK the Enduring Secret.   Let us know  what you like about the podcast or just provide us with comments on the episode via  email at podcastjfk@gmail.com or get active in our blog for each episode at www.podcastjfk.com   Either way, keep listening, and join us for the whole series of episodes about the fantastic goings on that encompass this part of the JFK story. Now we enter the unknown with evidence that is complex, incomplete and sometimes conflicting. Even as early as 1964, rumors and serious concerns over  the lone gunman theory and the evidence that might contravene it,  were becoming a major concern for the government and the commission. Conspiracy theories were contrary to the government's stated narrative from the very beginning. Stay tuned as there are many more episodes to come!This series comprehensively explores the major facts,  themes, and  events leading up to the assassination in Dealey Plaza and the equally gripping stories surrounding the subsequent investigation. We  review  key elements of the Warren Commission Report , and the role of the CIA and FBI. We explore the  possible involvement of the Mafia in the murder and the review of that topic by the government's House Select Committee on Assassinations in the 1970's. We explore the Jim Garrison investigation and the work of other key figures such as Mark Lane and others. Learn more about Lee Harvey Oswald the suspected killer and Jack Ruby the distraught Dallas night club owner with underworld ties and the man that killed Oswald as a national TV audience was watching.  Stay with us as we take you through the facts and theories in bite sized discussions that are designed to educate, and inform as well as entertain the audience. This  real life story is more fascinating than fiction. No matter whether you are a serious researcher or a casual student, you will enjoy the fact filled narrative and story as  we relive one of the most shocking moments in American History. An event that changed the nation and changed the world forever.