The nationalisation of the land, oil refineries and most U.S. investments increased the standard of living for peasants and nationalistic fervour, something that the country had been lacking. Such domestic reforms drastically affected Cuba's relationship with the U.S. because of the blatant disregard adopted by Castro for the nation that had invested $1.2 billion in the fatherland in 1924 according to Paul Johnson's "A History of the Modern World", whilst also attracting American Communist fear. In retaliation, President Eisenhower withdrew the sugar quota and put a total trade embargo on Cuba in 1960, severing all diplomatic ties by the 3rd of January, 1961.…
