He was President of Cuba (1933–44; 1952–58), having come to national prominence in 1933 when, as a sergeant in the army, he led a successful revolt against President Gerardo Machado y Morales. He established a strong, efficient government, but increasingly used terrorist methods to achieve his aims. He amassed fortunes for himself and his associates and the dictatorial excesses of his second term contributed to his overthrow in Castro’s revolution in December 1958.