6
6
0
I thought that Fidel was a communist, a dictator, an abuser of human rights, an enemy of America, and so much more. Well, he was and he wasn't. At least that's what I learned when I researched my novel Rebels on the Mountain.
What do you think you know about #FidelCastro
Posted from jackdurish.comPosted in these groups: 
Cuba
Creative Writing
Cuba Creative Writing
Edited 8 y ago
Posted 8 y ago
Responses: 4
6
6
0
My wife and her family are Cuban and I have loved the study of history since I was a pre-teen in the early 1960's CPT Jack Durish. Batista certainly was a cruel dictator. By the time Fidel and Raul Castro left Mexico to return to Cuba they were committed Marxists and experienced revolutionaries. From 1956 until 1959 they led a guerilla warfare campaign until they toppled the existing government.
My father-in-law was in a concentration/reeducation camp because he let one of the cows, on what used to be his property until communism acquired everything, be slaughtered. A family friend was brutally beaten while locked away in prison for years and he died a few years ago having been invalided since he got out of prison as a political prisoner.
Execution of political prisoners was in keeping with Marxists and revolutionary doctrine.
The rejoicing in Little Cuba in Miami is for many reasons - the death of Fidel, the hope that Cuba will be free once again, etc.
My wife's family has maintained contact with relatives who stayed on Cuba - many on her father's side are pastors and as pastors traveled there in recent years and as the pastors came without their families over the decades - so they would not defect.
Coincidentally, while Fidel was dying, my wife and I watched the movie Rough Riders which was a very accurate depiction of the combination of Regular Army soldiers and the volunteer Rough Riders assault through the dense foliage to San Juan Hill near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba in 1898.
We freed Cuba in 1898 from Spanish domination and then Sugar cane companies began to exert their influence in some areas. Things got bad when Batista took over but became much worse under the Castros. Thankfully Ernesto "Che" Guevara was killed in Bolivia by Bolivian rangers since he was one of the worst of the bunch.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher Mueller Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
My father-in-law was in a concentration/reeducation camp because he let one of the cows, on what used to be his property until communism acquired everything, be slaughtered. A family friend was brutally beaten while locked away in prison for years and he died a few years ago having been invalided since he got out of prison as a political prisoner.
Execution of political prisoners was in keeping with Marxists and revolutionary doctrine.
The rejoicing in Little Cuba in Miami is for many reasons - the death of Fidel, the hope that Cuba will be free once again, etc.
My wife's family has maintained contact with relatives who stayed on Cuba - many on her father's side are pastors and as pastors traveled there in recent years and as the pastors came without their families over the decades - so they would not defect.
Coincidentally, while Fidel was dying, my wife and I watched the movie Rough Riders which was a very accurate depiction of the combination of Regular Army soldiers and the volunteer Rough Riders assault through the dense foliage to San Juan Hill near Santiago de Cuba, Cuba in 1898.
We freed Cuba in 1898 from Spanish domination and then Sugar cane companies began to exert their influence in some areas. Things got bad when Batista took over but became much worse under the Castros. Thankfully Ernesto "Che" Guevara was killed in Bolivia by Bolivian rangers since he was one of the worst of the bunch.
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Maj William W. "Bill" Price Capt Christopher Mueller Capt Seid Waddell CW5 (Join to see) SMSgt Minister Gerald A. Thomas SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) SGT (Join to see) SP5 Mark Kuzinski SGT Forrest Stewart SGT John " Mac " McConnell SGT Robert George SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Kim Bolen RN CCM ACM
(6)
(0)
CPT Jack Durish
LTC Stephen F. - In Mexico, Che made contact and ingratiated himself to Fidel. He worked hard to convert Fidel to Marxism but Castro wasn't convinced. He was pragmatic. He was looking for financial and material support for his revolution. The Soviets didn't provide it. Americans did. He purchased the yacht Granma with funds provided by a Texas oilman. He traveled all over the U.S. soliciting funds for weapons, ammunition, living expenses for him and his men in Mexico, etc. No support came from the USSR. But Fidel liked Che and enlisted him as the group's doctor.
(1)
(0)
CPT Jack Durish
LTC Stephen F. - One more thing... following Batista's overthrow, Castro traveled to Washington to establish relations there, not Moscow. Eisenhower refused to meet with him whereas Batista had been feted by the Administration. In essence, we forced Castro to turn to our enemies and that was when he embraced communism. He announced that he was a life long communist but there is no evidence of that.
(1)
(0)
LTC Stephen F.
CPT Jack Durish - The Cuban government and nation has been the closet thing to a Marxist utopia in the Americas. The Soviet Union was enamored with the state of communism in Cuba. They trusted Cuba so much they sent Nuclear capable missiles to Cuba in the Cuban Missile Crisis.
The Cubans sent their military forces to support communistic insurgencies from close to the beginning of their revolution:
Congo Crisis: Area of Che Guevara's activity in Congo
During the Congo Crisis, Cuban Expedition led by Che Guevara trained Marxist Rebels to fight against the weak central government of Joseph Kasa-Vubu along with the forces of Mobutu Sese Seko. This was Cuba's first military action overseas and in Africa.
Bolivia Insurgency
During the 1960s, the National Liberation Army began a Communist insurgency in Bolivia. The National Liberation Army was established and funded by Cuba and led by Che Guevara.
The National Liberation Army was defeated and Che Guevara was captured by the Bolivia government aided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. 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 Ranger forces.
Eritrean War
Cubans trained Eritreans but later, in a political reversal, trained Ethiopian Marxist forces who were fighting against Eritreans.
Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia between 1977 and 1978. Fighting erupted in the Ogaden region as Somalia attempted to liberate the area. The conflict ended with a Somali retreat.
When the Soviet Union began to support the Ethiopian Derg government instead of the Somali 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 advisors in the region.
Cuban Military Actions in Angola (1961–2002)
Between 1961 until 2002, the Cuban Military provided support for the left wing MPLA movement in a series of civil wars. During these conflicts the MPLA emerged victorious due in part to the substantial aid received from Cuba.
The Angolan War of Independence was a struggle for control of Angola between guerilla movements and Portuguese colonial authority. Cuba supplied the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) rebels with weapons and soldiers to fight. Cuban military would fight alongside the MPLA in major battles.
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 the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). MPLA was aided by Cuba and the Soviet Union, and UNITA and FNLA were supported by South Africa, United States and Zaire. It became Africa's longest running conflict. The conflict was only formally brought to an end in 2002 with the death of UNITA-Leader Jonas Savimbi.
South African Border War[edit]
The so-called South African Border War was a conflict that took place in South-West Africa (Today independent nation of Namibia) between the Apartheid-era South African Defence Forces and its allied National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) against the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and the Angolan MPLA.
During the conflict, Cuba sent soldiers to aid Angola in its own civil war. The Cuban army had a major involvement in some of the most important battles including Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.
Invasion of Grenada
722 Cuban soldiers were deployed in Grenada During the Invasion of Grenada by U.S. troops in 1983. The Cuban government sent these troops there to support the leftist government of the country. Cuban losses during the conflict were 25 killed, 59 wounded, and 638 captured. In 2008, the Government of Grenada announced a move to build a monument to honor the Cubans killed during the invasion by Genelle Figuroa. At the time of the announcement the Cuban and Grenadian government are still seeking to locate a suitable site for the monument.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Cuba
The Cubans sent their military forces to support communistic insurgencies from close to the beginning of their revolution:
Congo Crisis: Area of Che Guevara's activity in Congo
During the Congo Crisis, Cuban Expedition led by Che Guevara trained Marxist Rebels to fight against the weak central government of Joseph Kasa-Vubu along with the forces of Mobutu Sese Seko. This was Cuba's first military action overseas and in Africa.
Bolivia Insurgency
During the 1960s, the National Liberation Army began a Communist insurgency in Bolivia. The National Liberation Army was established and funded by Cuba and led by Che Guevara.
The National Liberation Army was defeated and Che Guevara was captured by the Bolivia government aided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. 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 Ranger forces.
Eritrean War
Cubans trained Eritreans but later, in a political reversal, trained Ethiopian Marxist forces who were fighting against Eritreans.
Ogaden War
The Ogaden War was a conflict between Somalia and Ethiopia between 1977 and 1978. Fighting erupted in the Ogaden region as Somalia attempted to liberate the area. The conflict ended with a Somali retreat.
When the Soviet Union began to support the Ethiopian Derg government instead of the Somali 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 advisors in the region.
Cuban Military Actions in Angola (1961–2002)
Between 1961 until 2002, the Cuban Military provided support for the left wing MPLA movement in a series of civil wars. During these conflicts the MPLA emerged victorious due in part to the substantial aid received from Cuba.
The Angolan War of Independence was a struggle for control of Angola between guerilla movements and Portuguese colonial authority. Cuba supplied the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) rebels with weapons and soldiers to fight. Cuban military would fight alongside the MPLA in major battles.
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 the National Liberation Front of Angola (FNLA). MPLA was aided by Cuba and the Soviet Union, and UNITA and FNLA were supported by South Africa, United States and Zaire. It became Africa's longest running conflict. The conflict was only formally brought to an end in 2002 with the death of UNITA-Leader Jonas Savimbi.
South African Border War[edit]
The so-called South African Border War was a conflict that took place in South-West Africa (Today independent nation of Namibia) between the Apartheid-era South African Defence Forces and its allied National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) against the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) and the Angolan MPLA.
During the conflict, Cuba sent soldiers to aid Angola in its own civil war. The Cuban army had a major involvement in some of the most important battles including Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.
Invasion of Grenada
722 Cuban soldiers were deployed in Grenada During the Invasion of Grenada by U.S. troops in 1983. The Cuban government sent these troops there to support the leftist government of the country. Cuban losses during the conflict were 25 killed, 59 wounded, and 638 captured. In 2008, the Government of Grenada announced a move to build a monument to honor the Cubans killed during the invasion by Genelle Figuroa. At the time of the announcement the Cuban and Grenadian government are still seeking to locate a suitable site for the monument.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_Cuba
Military history of Cuba - Wikipedia
The Military history of Cuba begins with the island's conquest by the Spanish and its battles afterward 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 from liberation movements who were opposed to their colonial masters and/or allies of the United States.
(0)
(0)
CPT Jack Durish
LTC Stephen F. - No argument here. However, we were talking about the period when Castro was in Mexico, prior to the revolution in Cuba. At that time the KGB spymaster applied to Moscow for funds, arms, and supplies for Castro. However, the powers that were in the Kremlin at that time could not conceive that the U.S. would allow a Marxist revolution to occur on the doorstep of America and they refused. Castro, not a Marxist at the time, turned to the Americans for help (just as other Cuban revolutionaries had in the past). Castro didn't get all he wanted. He wanted an airplane to transport his small band (a few more than 80 Fidelistas) to Cuba. He got an old yacht. He was able to con a Mexican general to oversee their training and equip them with some Thompson submachine guns. Most were equipped with sporting rifles with scopes. Again, Castro was not a Maxist at the time and he sure as hell wasn't going to become one to curry favor with the Soviets who gave him no chance of success. He was an idealist, at best a syndical anarchist. Not a Marxist.
(1)
(0)
4
4
0
1
1
0
He was...and can't see that he wasn't anything other than a murderer, a truant and an oppressor
(1)
(0)
CPT Jack Durish
But not always. Indeed, as a war chief during the revolution, no one was more dedicated to his followers, his Fidelistas. He cared for the people and was the first to nationalize his family estate to lead the way in taking the land from foreign masters and return it to the people. He didn't become a tyrant until the U.S. President refused to even meet with him or extend aid in helping the island nation. We forced him into the arms of the communists and the Soviet Union.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google