What do you do when everything you've tried has failed?

Cuba

CUBA'S FIRST DICTATOR, Gerado Machado, came to a crossroads in 1930. America's Ambassador in Havana, Harry Frank Guggenheim, posited that the Cuban dictator could (1) resign and chaos would follow; (2) he could be ousted by a coup and chaos would follow; (3) a coup would be unsuccessful; (4) he could remain in office for another two months; or (5) he could resign to be replaced by a provisional presidency. Machado had other ideas.

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (click to enlarge)

In December, 1931, Machado extended his presidency by executive fiat. Revolution erupted. Former Cuban president Menocal and other distinguished parties joined forces with townspeople and students, soldiers and sailors. They formed into “cells”, known as A, B, C, etc. They became known as the ABC Movement. 

ABC advocated a program of social and economic reform and pledged themselves to Machado's overthrow. They employed propaganda and terror. Public buildings were bombed, and assassinations were carried out on government, military, and police officers. One of their most ambitious plots resulted in the death of two of Machado's top lieutenants. Guggenheim called on Machado to extend reforms. Machado responded by organizing the remaining loyal elements of his military and police into death squads.

With the escalation of violence on the island and Guggenheim's failures, the age of American paternalism in Cuba ended. United States diplomats had exhausted themselves trying to make something of the Cubans that they weren't. We would keep Guantanamo. The rest was left to the Cubans, the businessmen, and the mafioso.