04-29-2008, 07:16 PM
The Moncada Barracks was a military barracks in Santiago de Cuba, named after General Guillermon Moncada, a hero of the War of Independence.
On July 26, 1953, at 5:00AM, Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl led a group of approximately 160 rebels in an attack on the second largest military garrison in Cuba, headquarters of the 400 (others say about 1,000) strong Antonio Maceo regiment, under the command of President Fulgencio Batista.
The night before the attack, 25 July, nearby Santiago de Cuba played host to a festival, and the rebel group believed the soldiers would be suffering from hangovers. Also, the rebels had stolen army uniforms to wear during the attack. The group formed an automobile caravan in order to give the appearance of being a delegation headed by a high-ranking officer sent from western Cuba. Their plan was to take the barracks, including the radio transmitter within it, and use it as a centre from which to broadcast propaganda to the Cuban people, with the ultimate hope of bringing down the Batista government.
The attack began poorly. The caravan of automobiles became separated by the time it arrived at the barracks, and the car carrying the guerillas' heavy weapons got lost. Furthermore, many of the rebels who would have taken part in the attack were left behind for a lack of weapons. The rebels also lost their possibility of surprise when Castro lost control of his car, crashed, and someone from the rebels opened fire to cover him. The net result of these events was the rebels being outnumbered more than 10 to 1.
Sixty-one rebels were killed in the fighting, and one third of them were captured. Half of the men captured were tortured to death. A handful of rebels, including Fidel Castro, escaped into the nearby countryside but were apprehended shortly thereafter.
After the attack the bullet holes and scars of battle were quickly covered up by the Batista regime.
After the revolution the barracks, now a school and a museum, had holes drilled in the walls to commemorate the battle.
At the Moncada barracks, an Act of Commemoration takes place early in the morning every year: the list of the martyrs of the revolution is read out and guns are fired.
The Moncada Barracks shortly after the attack and as it is today.
On July 26, 1953, at 5:00AM, Fidel Castro and his brother Raúl led a group of approximately 160 rebels in an attack on the second largest military garrison in Cuba, headquarters of the 400 (others say about 1,000) strong Antonio Maceo regiment, under the command of President Fulgencio Batista.
The night before the attack, 25 July, nearby Santiago de Cuba played host to a festival, and the rebel group believed the soldiers would be suffering from hangovers. Also, the rebels had stolen army uniforms to wear during the attack. The group formed an automobile caravan in order to give the appearance of being a delegation headed by a high-ranking officer sent from western Cuba. Their plan was to take the barracks, including the radio transmitter within it, and use it as a centre from which to broadcast propaganda to the Cuban people, with the ultimate hope of bringing down the Batista government.
The attack began poorly. The caravan of automobiles became separated by the time it arrived at the barracks, and the car carrying the guerillas' heavy weapons got lost. Furthermore, many of the rebels who would have taken part in the attack were left behind for a lack of weapons. The rebels also lost their possibility of surprise when Castro lost control of his car, crashed, and someone from the rebels opened fire to cover him. The net result of these events was the rebels being outnumbered more than 10 to 1.
Sixty-one rebels were killed in the fighting, and one third of them were captured. Half of the men captured were tortured to death. A handful of rebels, including Fidel Castro, escaped into the nearby countryside but were apprehended shortly thereafter.
After the attack the bullet holes and scars of battle were quickly covered up by the Batista regime.
After the revolution the barracks, now a school and a museum, had holes drilled in the walls to commemorate the battle.
At the Moncada barracks, an Act of Commemoration takes place early in the morning every year: the list of the martyrs of the revolution is read out and guns are fired.
The Moncada Barracks shortly after the attack and as it is today.
Everybody's equal, But some more than others!
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
"Those who come to us with the sword - will be killed by the sword" - Alexander Nevski
