Castro's new government nationalized millions of acres of Cuban land previously held by American companies and distributed it to the people. Castro flew to New York to speak at the United Nations. U.S. President Eisenhower would not meet with him. But Soviet leader Khrushchev was delighted to embrace a new revolutionary and offered Cuba economic assistance.

Cuba decided to purchase oil from the U.S.S.R., but U.S. companies refused to refine it. Castro then nationalized the U.S.-owned refineries and other industries in Cuba. Washington retaliated with a complete trade embargo against Cuba. It also launched the first of several CIA campaigns to topple Castro's regime.
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