The day that launched the Cuban Revolution  Wednesday, July 24,
1996 - 10:00  The day that launched the Cuban Revolution  By
Jill Hickson  July 26 is the 43rd anniversary of the attack on
the Moncada Barracks by a small group of badly armed young Cuban
revolutionaries, an attack which failed in its immediate aim but
which is considered the day that launched the Cuban Revolution.
Fulgencio Batista, strongman of the "sergeants' revolt" of 1933,
had ruled Cuba de facto for the greater part of the previous 20
years. He was running a slow third in presidential elections
when he staged a military coup on March 10, 1952. As president,
he operated as the steward of sugar barons, banks, gambling
syndicates and the great corporate interests of North America.
He answered any opposition with assassination, breaking strikes
with machine-gun fire, and using repression against the Cuban
people to maintain the massive exploitation of sugar workers,
farmers and women. Under Batista's rule, the people were
becoming poorer wh