Military history of Cuba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Military history of Cuba begins with the island's conquest by the Spanish and its battles afterword to gain its independence. Since the Communist takeover by Fidel Castro in 1959, Cuba has been involved with many major conflicts of the Cold War in Africa and Latin America where it had supported Marxist governments and rebels who were opposed to allies of the United States.
[edit] Ten Years' War
The Ten Years' War was the first of three wars that Cuba fought against Spain for its independence. The Ten Years' War began when Carlos Manuel de Céspedes and his followers of patriots from his sugar mill La Demajagua began an uprising. The war ended with the signing of the Pact of Zanjón.
[edit] Cuban War of Independence
The Cuban War of Independence was the last major uprising by Cuban Nationalists against the Spanish Colonial Government. The conflict would end with American intervention during the Spanish-American War.
[edit] Spanish-American War
The Spanish-American War was a major war fought by America against Spain in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The war was triggered with the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor. Cuban rebels fought alongside American troops during the major battles. The war lasted 10 weeks.
Cuba was occupied by US military troops on July 17, 1898. In the Treaty of Paris (1898), Spain renounced its sovereignty over Cuba without naming a receiving country. Cuba then established its own civil government, which was recognized by the United States as the legal government of Cuba upon the announcement of the termination of United States Military Government (USMG) jurisdiction over the island on May 20, 1902. This was independence day for the Republic of Cuba.
[edit] 1952 Coup
Batista staged a coup on March 10, 1952, removing Carlos Prío Socarrás. Cubans in general were stunned but remembering the bloodshed of the 1930s, they were reluctant to fight. Batista created a consultative council integrated from pliable political personalities of all parties who appointed him President months before elections were to be held. Batista’s past democratic and pro-labor tendencies and the fear of another episode of bloody violence gained him tenuous support from the bankers, and the leader of the major labor confederation.
[edit] The Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was a major revolution that resulted in the overthrow of the Fulgencio Batista government on January 1, 1959 by Fidel Castro and other revolutionary elements in the country. The Revolution began on July 26, 1953, when a group of armed guerrillas attacked the Moncada Barracks.
From 1956 through the middle of 1958, Castro and his forces staged successful attacks on Batista garrisons in the Sierra Maestra mountains. Che Guevara and Raúl Castro helped consolidate political control in the mountains through executions of Batista Loyalists and potential rivals to Castro. The irregular poorly armed rebels harassed the Batista forces through the foot hills and the plains of Oriente Province. With these maligned forces provided Castro's with moderate military support and protected supply lines.
The final blow to Batista government came during the Battle of Yaguajay. Castro’s forces were able to capture the garrisons at Santa Clara along with the city. As a result Batista fled the country and Castro came into power.
[edit] Bay of Pigs Invasion
The 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful United States-planned and funded attempted invasion by armed Cuban exiles in southwest Cuba. An attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro
On the morning of April 15, 1961, three A-26 Invader aircraft bombed and strafed the Cuban airfields. The next stage involved 1,511 Cuban exiles to landing at the Bay of Pigs on the Southern coast of Cuba. The small army hoped to find support from the local population, intending to cross the island to Havana. The CIA assumed that the invasion would spark a popular uprising against Castro. After landing, it soon became evident that the exiles were not going to receive effective support at the site of the invasion and were likely to lose. Kennedy decided against giving the faltering invasion US air support and canceled several bombings on the grounded Cuban Airforce.
The fighting ended on April 21 with 68 exiles dead and the rest captured. The 1,209 captured exiles were quickly put on trial. A few were executed and the rest sentenced to thirty years in prison for treason. The invasion accelerated a rapid deterioration in Cuban-American relations.
[edit] Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation between the Soviet Union and the United States in Cuba. The missiles were ostensibly placed to protect Cuba from further planned attacks by the United States after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion, and were rationalized by the Soviets as equivalent to the U.S. placing deployable nuclear warheads in Turkey.
The crisis began when U.S. reconnaissance imagery revealing Soviet nuclear missile installations on the island and ended fourteen days later when Soviet announced that the installations would be dismantled.
[edit] Congo Crisis
The Congo Crisis was a period of turmoil in the Congo that began with national independence from Belgium and ended with the seizing of power by Joseph Mobutu. During the Congo Crisis, Cuban Expedition lead by Che Guevara trained Marxist Rebels to fight against the weak government of Joseph Kasa-Vubu along with the forces of Mobutu Sese Seko. This would be the Cuba's first military action overseas and in Africa.
[edit] Bolivia Insurgency
During the 60s, the National Liberation Army began a Communist insurgency in Bolivia. The National Liberation Army was established and funded by Cuba while led by Che Guevara.
The National Liberation Army was defeated and Che Guevara was captured by the Bolivia government aided by the CIA. Bolivian Special Forces were informed of the location of Guevara's guerrilla encampment. On October 8, the encampment was encircled, and Guevara was captured and later executed by Bolivian forces.
[edit] Yom Kippur War
The Yom Kippur War was the fourth major conflict between Israel and the neighboring Arab States. During the conflict Cuba sent financial and military support to the Arab nations. The Cuban military deployed 1,500 soldiers along with tanks and aircraft against the IDF during the war.
[edit] Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia between 1977–1978. Fighting erupted in the Ogaden region as Somalia attempted to occupy the area. The conflict ended with an Ethopian victory.
When the USSR began to support the Derg government other Communist nations followed. The Cuban Military deployed 15,000 combat troops along with aircraft to support the Derg government and the USSR military advisor's in the region.
[edit] Cuban Military Actions in Angola (1961-2002)
Between 1961 until 2002, the Cuban Military provided support for the left wing MPLA in series of conflicts. During these conflicts the MPLA had came up victorus due to the aid received from Cuba.
[edit] Angolan War of Independence
The Angolan War of Independence was a struggle for control of Angola between gurella movements and Portuguese colonial authority. Cuba supplied the MPLA rebels with weapons and soldiers to fight. Cuban military would fight alongside the MPLA in major battles.
[edit] South African Border War
The South African Border War was a conflict that took place in South-West Africa between apartheid-South Africa and its allied forces UNITA against SWAPO During the conflict, Cuba sent soldiers to aid SWAPO and other Marxist groups in the region. The Cuban army had a major involvement in some of the most important battles including Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.
[edit] Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a 27-year civil war that devastated Angola following the end of Portuguese colonial rule in 1974. The conflict was fought by the MPLA against UNITA and FNLA. MPLA continued to be aided by Cuba as UNITA and FNLA were supported by South Africa. It became Africa's longest running conflict. Formally brought to an end in 2002 with an MPLA victory.
[edit] Salvadoran Civil War
The Salvadoran Civil War was fought by the El Salvador government against various left-wing rebels. Cuba supplied the rebels with weapons and sent troops and advisors.
[edit] Sandinista Civil War
During the Sandinista Civil War, Cuba gave aid and support to the Sandinista government of Daniel Ortega. The Sandinista government was fighting the American backed Contras. The conflict ended with the 1990 presidential election were Ortega lost to Violeta Barrios de Chamorro
[edit] References
|
||||||||||||||
