cuban revolution cuban communist revolutionary politician took cuban revolution following early life decided fight overthrow military founding paramilitary organisation movement july launched failed attack killed arrested placed trial defended actions provided famous history speech sentenced years imprisonment model prison renaming group 26th july movement pardoned government longer considered political threat restructuring fled mexico brother met argentine small revolutionary force intent november revolutionaries sailed mexico aboard crash landing near attacked forces fled sierra mountain range survivors set waged guerrilla war army boosted new recruits increased army numbers attacks actions revolutionaries cuba international celebrity interviewed new_york_times launched counter offensive army use conventional warfare overwhelmed guerrilla tactics eventually pushed took control recognising losing war fled dominican_republic military leader took control country revolutionary forces controlling cuba ordered arrest establishing provisional government president prime minister ensuring enacted laws power movement barracks attack march cuban military general seized power military coup elected president fleeing mexico declaring president cancelled planned presidential elections describing new system disciplined democracy like considered man dictatorship moved right ties wealthy elite united_states diplomatic relations soviet_union suppressing trade unions cuban socialist groups intent opposing administration brought legal cases arguing committed sufficient criminal acts warrant imprisonment accusing ministers labor laws lawsuits coming began thinking alternate ways new government dissatisfied non violent opposition formed movement group consisting civil military committee agitated underground newspaper armed trained recruits movement head organization based clandestine cell system cell containing members dozen individuals formed movement nucleus dissatisfied members july went recruitment drive gaining members year organized cells majority coming havana poorer districts close ties revolutionary socialism avoided alliance communist fearing away political kept contact members including brother later related movement members simply strong socialist anti views attributed overwhelming weight yankees ideological advertising machinery believed suppressed class consciousness cuba working class weapons planned attack military garrison outside intended dress army uniforms arrive base july festival officers away rebels seize control raid escape reinforcements arrived supplied new weaponry intended arm supporters spark revolution impoverished cane plan seize control radio station broadcasting movement manifesto promoting uprisings plan emulated 19th century cuban independence fighters raided spanish barracks saw heir independence leader national hero gathered revolutionaries mission stationed young men havana del exception children ordered troops cause met armed resistance attack took place july ran trouble cars set failed reaching barracks alarm raised rebels pinned outside base machine gun fire got inside faced heavy resistance killed ordered retreat rebels suffered fatalities casualties whilst army suffered dead wounded rebels took civilian hospital subsequently stormed government soldiers rebels rounded tortured executed trial escaped including assembled base debated surrender wished flee havana accompanied comrades decided set rugged mountains miles north establish guerrilla base response attack government proclaimed martial law ordering violent crackdown dissent imposing strict censorship media propaganda broadcast event claiming rebels communists killed hospital patients despite censorship news photographs soon spread army use torture summary executions causing widespread public governmental disapproval trial history following days rebels rounded executed including transported prison north incapable planning attack government accused politicians involvement putting defendants trial september palace justice censored reporting journalists permitted attend proved embarrassment administration acting defense council convinced judges army decision defendants court proceeding argue charge accused organizing uprising armed persons incorrect risen seized power unconstitutional manner asked intellectual author attack claimed long deceased national icon quoting works justified uprisings trial revealed army tortured suspects utilizing eyes judges agreed investigate crimes embarrassing army tried unsuccessfully prevent claiming ill leave cell trial ended october defendants sentenced prison terms months years sentenced separately october delivered speech printed title history maximum penalty leading uprising years sentenced imprisoned hospital wing model prison relatively comfortable modern institution miles cuba southwest coast imprisonment 26th july movement imprisoned fellow conspirators renamed movement 26th july movement memory attack date forming school prisoners organized hours day teaching ancient modern history philosophy english read widely enjoying works reading books shakespeare analyzing framework began reading roosevelt new deal believing similar enacted cuba corresponding supporters outside prison maintained control movement organized publication history initial print run copies initially permitted relatively high freedom prison compared inmates locked solitary confinement comrades sang songs visit president february wife gained employment having encouraged brother friend ally kept secret found radio announcement appalled die thousand times suffer insult initiated divorce proceedings taking custody son angered want son growing environment government held presidential elections politician standing won election widely considered fraudulent allowed political opposition voiced supporters agitated amnesty incident perpetrators politicians suggested amnesty good publicity congress agreed backed major corporations believed political threat prisoners released returning havana carried shoulders supporters set giving radio interviews press conferences government closely monitored activities divorced sexual affairs female supporters child setting strengthening established person despite structural changes dissent questioning leadership dismissed calls leadership transferred democratic board arguing successful revolution run committee abandoned labeling dictator majority remained loyal mexico guerrilla training bombings violent demonstrations led crackdown dissent placed protective armed guard supporters fled country members remaining cuba left prepare cells revolutionary action await return sent letter press declaring leaving cuba doors peaceful struggle closed weeks released prison convinced dictatorship intention masked ways remain power years ruling use terror crime ignoring patience cuban people limits follower believe hour come rights fight instead pleading comrades traveled mexico long history offering asylum leftist befriended argentine doctor named proponent guerrilla warfare keen join cuba revolution liked later describing advanced revolutionary associated republican veteran spanish civil war agreed teach rebels necessary skills guerrilla warfare meeting training requiring funding toured search wealthy contributed later claimed monitored agents orchestrated failed assassination government mexican police arrest rebels support mexican politicians sympathetic cause soon released kept contact cuba gained large support base militant groups sprung primarily student movement notable founded president traveled mexico_city meet disagreed tactics thought legitimate assassinate connected government thought ineffective purchasing yacht november set sail veracruz revolutionaries armed rifles machine guns pistols hand held anti tank guns mile crossing cuba harsh conditions ship suffered food supplies ran low points bail water caused leak man fell overboard delaying journey plan crossing days ship scheduled day arrival november members led armed uprising government buildings towns journey ultimately lasted days men unable provide reinforcements dispersed days intermittent attacks guerrilla war crash landed swamp close december hours naval vessel started bombarding invaders fleeing inland headed forested mountain range december detachment attacked rebels scattered making journey small groups arrival discovered rebels arrived destination rest having killed captured setting jungle survivors including began launching raids small army posts obtain weaponry january overran outpost near beach treated soldiers injuries revolutionaries executed local mayoral land company local peasants despised boasted killing rebels weeks previously execution aided rebels gaining trust locals typically hated wealthy landowners largely remained suspicious revolutionaries trust grew locals joined rebels new recruits came urban areas increasing numbers volunteers numbered july divided army columns keeping charge giving control brother members operating urban areas continued sending supplies february met senior members discuss tactics met close friend cuba militant groups rose carrying bombings acts sabotage police responded mass arrests torture killings corpses hung trees march launched failed attack presidential palace shot dead death removed charismatic rival leadership revolution killed leaving leader hid beliefs contrast beliefs known hoped gain support radical met leading members leaders drafted signed sierra manifesto laid plans post cuba rejecting rule provisional military demanded setting provisional civilian government supported implement moderate reform literacy campaign introducing truly fair democratic elections government censored cuban press contacted foreign media spread message journalist new_york_times interviewed attracting international interest rebel cause turning celebrity reporters followed sent news agencies cbs reporter stayed rebels months documenting routine increased attacks military outposts forcing government withdraw sierra region spring rebels controlled hospital schools printing press land factory cigar making factory fall military come increasing pressure army military failures coupled press censorship police army use torture executions increasingly criticized domestically abroad influenced sentiment citizens government ceased supplying weaponry leading buy arms united_kingdom opposition opportunity general strike accompanied armed attacks beginning april received strong support central eastern cuba little responded attack june august army bombarded forested areas villages suspected aiding soldiers command general surrounded driving north rebel despite numerical technological superiority army experience guerrilla warfare mountainous region men command avoided open confrontation land mines halt enemy offensive army suffered heavy losses number june battalion surrendered weapons confiscated handed red_cross soldiers appalled human rights abuses ordered carry defected rebels benefited popular support areas controlled summer went offensive pushing army mountain range columns movement surround main army concentration november forces controlled grip capitals control rebels divided cuba closing major roads rail lines severely forces realized lose war fearing displace interests socialist reforms decided aid removal supporting military believing commanding country armed forces lead approached proposal secretly met agreeing following tried war criminal double crossing warned revolutionary intentions wishing avoid tribunal resigned december informing armed forces control family closest advisers fled exile dominican_republic entered havana presidential palace proclaimed supreme_court judge new president began appointing new members government furious recognizing establishment military ended continued offensive plan freeing high ranking military officer colonel prison held captive plotting overthrow commanding fly havana arrest accompanying widespread celebrations news downfall spread cuba january ordered responsibility country order prevent widespread looting vandalism whilst led columns havana january entered accepting surrender giving speech wars independence spoke called justice human rights proclaimed better era women rights heading havana met mother greeted cheering crowds town giving press conferences interviews foreign journalists commented unprecedented level public striking heroic christ like figure wearing virgin mary provisional government opinion clear lawyer president leading provisional civilian government following fall politically moderate defended revolutionaries court arguing barracks attack legal according cuban constitution believed good leader established sympathetic revolution leaders arrest proclaimed provisional president erroneously announcing selected popular election cabinet members january army entered havana proclaiming representative rebel armed forces presidency close aides family members set home office meeting journalists foreign visitors government ministers officially having role provisional government exercised great deal influence largely popularity control rebel army ensuring government implemented policies cut corruption fight initially force radical proposals attempting rid cuba government congress elected abolished elected rigged elections banned politics government ruling decree pushed president issue temporary ban political parties repeatedly stated organizing elections occurred began meeting members believing intellectual capacity form socialist government repeatedly denied communist suppressing revolution government orchestrated mass human rights abuses estimates death toll typically placing popular cuba demanded figures widespread torture killing civilians brought justice remaining force opposing mass killings advocated helped set trials resulting hundreds executions widely popular domestically critics particular press argued fair trials condemned cuba government interested vengeance justice response proclaimed revolutionary justice based legal moral conviction organizing havana trial place mass audience sports palace stadium intervened trials ensure saw revolutionary justice carried group accused bombing village found guilty trial ordered found guilty sentenced life imprisonment acclaimed latin_america traveled venezuela attend anniversary celebrations overthrow meeting president elect proposed greater relations nations unsuccessfully requesting loan new deal oil returning home argument senior government figures broke government banned closed leaving thousands prostitutes unemployed result prime minister resigned going exile joining anti movement
Fidel Castro in the Cuban Revolution