The influential leader of the Cuban Revolution in the 1950s was Fidel Castro. He emerged as a prominent figure by leading a revolutionary movement against the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista. Castro, alongside guerrilla fighters such as Che Guevara, orchestrated a successful uprising that culminated in Batista's overthrow in January 1959. Following the revolution, Castro established a socialist government and aligned Cuba with the Soviet Union, which had significant implications during the Cold War. His policies aimed at land reform and industrialization transformed Cuban society, but also led to economic challenges and political repression, shaping Cuba's trajectory for decades to come.