Diplomacy and Human Migration: A History of U.S. Relations with Cuba during the Late Cold War DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Hideaki Kami Graduate Program in History The Ohio State University 2015 Dissertation Committee: Professor Robert J. McMahon, Adviser Professor Peter L. Hahn, Co-adviser Professor Stephanie J. Smith Copyright by Hideaki Kami 2015 Abstract This dissertation analyzes U.S.-Cuban relations by focusing on the interaction of diplomacy and human migration during the late Cold War years. It explores how the U.S. government reformulated its Cuban policy in light of Fidel Castro’s institutionalization of power while, at the same time, trying to build a new relationship with the Cuban- American community as the latter forged a new, politically mobilized constituency within U.S. society. Based on historical sources from the United States, Cuba, and other countries, I argue that the triangular relations among Washington, Havana, and Miami formidably reinforced the status quo. As hundreds of thousands of Cuban-Americans participated in U.S. politics in the hope of toppling the Castro regime, the U.S. government could no longer dismiss their concerns as completely alien to the national interest. But while committing to “freedom” in Cuba in their public statements, U.S. policy-makers in fact placed a higher priority on stability in the Caribbean Sea; they collaborated with the Cuban government to prevent migration crises such as the 1980 Mariel boatlift, one of the largest and most traumatic in modern U.S. history. By exploring the interactions of diplomacy and human migration, this dissertation not only analyzes the contradictory nature of U.S. policy toward Cuba but also illuminates how the making of U.S. foreign policy has changed due to the inflow of people from other parts of the world. ii Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to my father, Yuji Kami, who always supported my endeavor. iii Acknowledgement My academic journey toward completing a Ph.D. dissertation has received much support and encouragement from countless persons and institutions. When I entered the University of Tokyo, the Funou Foundation assisted my undergraduate study and several overseas trips. When I continued at the University of Tokyo for its graduate program, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science supported me. For the first two years at The Ohio State University, the Japan-United States Educational Commission granted me a Fulbright Fellowship. Without their support, my quest for a Ph.D. degree would have been an unfulfilled dream. Generous grants from the Ohio State University’s Department of History, Mershon Center, Center for Latin American Studies, and College of Arts and Sciences played crucial roles in advancing my research. Outside support from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Gerald Ford Presidential Foundation, and the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service, also provided important support as well. A pre-doctoral research fellowship from the University of Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection gave me the opportunity to conduct intensive research in Miami for three months. I was fortunate to receive a Presidential Fellowship from the Graduate School of the Ohio State University, which enabled me to devote the final year of my Ph.D. program to writing this dissertation. iv In Tokyo, I was lucky to discover a topic that inspired my intellectual curiosity and passion. My undergraduate adviser, Hitoshi Takahashi, sparked my interest in migration and Cuban relations with the United States. Testuya Amino, Jun Ishibashi, Hideo Kimura, Ayako Saito, Fumihiko Takemura, and Keiichi Tsunekawa also supported my study of Latin America and understood my interest in North America. I am forever thankful to Jun Furuya. Not only did he accept me as his advisee, but he also guided my study, nurtured my intellectual development, and spent countless hours and days consulting with this young scholar. His classes were intellectually stimulating and instrumental to my growth, as were those of Yasuo Endo, Kenryu Hashikawa, Takeshi Igarashi, Fumiaki Kubo, Fumiko Nishizaki, Masako Notoji, Takuya Sasaki, and Yujin Yaguchi, who had superb knowledge of U.S. politics, culture, and history. Ryan Irwin, Itsuki Kurashina, Sidney Pash, Sayuri Shimizu, and Paul Sracic gave me very helpful advice during my transition to Ohio State. My choice of Ohio State as the site for my graduate study proved fortuitous. Peter Hahn, Robert McMahon, Mitch Lerner, and Jennifer Siegel have created an outstanding diplomatic history program. Lilia Fernández, Steven Conn, Donna Guy, Stephanie Smith, and David Stebenne introduced me to new themes in Latin American and U.S. history. Philip Brown, Alice Conklin, Peter Hahn, and Stephanie Smith created an intellectual environment in their writing seminars. I was delighted that Stephanie Smith agreed to join my dissertation committee and believe her perspectives have added much to my research. Jim Bach, Ashley Bowerman, Chris Burton, Katherine Eckstrand, Jane Hathaway, Clay Howard, Robin Judd, Steve McCann, Rich Ugland, and Kristina Ward v kept me out of administrative trouble. David Lincove always helped me find books, journals, and databases at Ohio State University Libraries. I thank Peter Hahn for his exacting standards, always pushing me to be a better scholar, and inspiring me with his devotion to the field of diplomatic history. I am most indebted to Robert McMahon, who encouraged me to study at Ohio State, served as my adviser, and provided heartfelt backing during the various difficult points in graduate school. I was also lucky to spend my time in Columbus with an exceptional group of graduate students. Matthew Ambrose, Dani Anthony, Alexandra Castillo, Nicholas Crane, Reyna Esquivel-King, Delia Fernández, Megan Hasting, Steven Higley, Patrick Potyondy, Ryan Schultz, Spencer Tyce, Leticia Wiggins, and many other participants in formal and informal writing seminars read my chapters, gave me suggestions, and helped me improve my writing skills. Patrick provided breaks from my intellectual efforts by inviting me to pick-up soccer games on Ohio State’s gorgeous field. Will Chou, my friend, fellow historian, and language-exchange partner, contributed to this project in countless ways. He always stepped forward to offer valuable assistance, discover methods of collaboration, and make my life in the United States much easier. A great number of academics, archivists, and staff members outside Ohio State helped me produce this study. María Cristina García, Tanya Harmer, Yuko Ito, Yasuhiro Koike, William LeoGrande, Alan McPherson, Louis A. Pérez, Kanako Yamaoka, and two anonymous readers for the Journal of Cold War Studies, read part of this research in one form or another, giving me inspirational comments, thoughtful criticisms, and wonderful suggestions. I thank Isami Romero Hosino for inviting me to join his panels to vi present papers on various occasions. Yuki Oda, my senpai, always used his experience to show the path forward for me. Takahito Moriyama let me stay at his place during my research in Tallahassee, Florida. I also acknowledge my sincere gratitude to David Engstrom, who generously provided me with his interview transcripts, as well as Myles Frechette and Robert Gelbard, who shared with me accounts of their service for the United States. Numerous archivists and staff members extended timely and invaluable help to me. In Miami, I was in the good hands of María R. Estorino, Gladys Gómez-Rossie, Annie Sansone-Martínez, and Rosa Monzón-Alvarez of the University of Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection, as well as Christina Favretto, Beatrice Skokan, Cory Czajkowski, and Yvette Yurubi of the University of Miami’s Special Collections. Koichi Tasa made my stay in Miami more accommodating. I learned greatly about the history of Miami Cubans from my meetings with Alfredo Durán, Francisco Hernández, and Marifeli Pérez- Stable. Matthew Angles, archivist at the Cuban American National Foundation, not only opened the door to the archive, but also assisted me in sifting through unprocessed materials. My research in Havana benefited tremendously from conversations with Carlos Alzugaray, Jesús Arboleya, García Entenza. Néstor García Iturbe, Lázaro Mora, José Luis Padrón, Ramón Sánchez-Parodi, José Viera, among others. Raynier Pellón Azopardo at the Centro de Investigaciones de Política Internacional went out of his way to process my academic visas. I enjoyed working with Eduardo Válido and Renier González Hernández at the Archivo Central del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores. My vii friendship and collaboration with Elier Ramírez Cañedo was a great pleasure, one which I hope to continue in the future. Margarita Fonseca expanded my contacts in Havana with her introductions. I will never forget my gratitude to Gloria León, who helped navigate my study from the very beginning, and Piero Gleijeses, who put me in touch with her. The archivists and staffs of the Archivo General de México, the Archivo Histórico Genaro Estrada, the Library and Archive of Canada, and the National Archives of the United Kingdom were all professional, friendly, and quick to help. Of special mention are Brittany Paris at the Jimmy Carter Library, Shelly Williams at the Ronald Reagan Library, and Zachary Roberts at the George H. W. Bush Library. They patiently processed my mandatory review requests for thousands of U.S. records. Numerous others, especially those in Florida-based archives, contributed to this study by offering me their research assistance. My family was my greatest source of support throughout this endeavor. I deeply appreciate the understanding of my mother, Keiko, and my brother, Tomoaki, for my pursuit of an academic career. It is regrettable that my late father, Yuji Kami, cannot see this work, which is dedicated to him with all respect for what he had done for me. Finally, Chen Zhang made my otherwise lonely life richer and more enjoyable.