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Home , 26th of July Movement, Huber Matos, Ronald Hilton

Appendix

A Brief Chronology

9 March 1952 Former president seizes power in , suppresses political parties. 26 July 1953 Student militants led by fail in attempt to take Moncada fort in Santiago de Oriente and set off a popular rebellion; most of those caught are killed. At his trial on 16 October, Castro gives ''speech. June 1954 CIA-organized Liberation Army stages 'invasion' of Gua­ temala, instigating coup against elected government of Jacobo Arbenz. May 1955 Following a general amnesty, Castro and supporters form , go to to begin planning insurrection. October 1955 Castro tours Cuban communities on US East Coast, or­ ganizing support. 2 December 1956 82 members of 26th of July Movement land from the yacht in ; a dozen survivors reach the ; Cuban government claims Cas­ tro is killed. 24-26 Feb. 1957 Series by Herbert L. Matthews in proves Castro is alive, inspiring Cuban supporters and US press. March 1957 Three sons of US servicemen at Guantanamo base join rebel band in Sierra Maestra. 19 May 1957 Robert Taber's documentary, 'Rebels of the Sierra Maes­ tra: The Story of Cuba's Jungle Fighters', airs on CBS.

261 WHERE THE BOYS ARE CHRONOLOGY

to Castro's charges of US involvement. March 1958 Denunciations of US support for Batista in Congress lead to Eisenhower administration embargo on further 17 March 1960 Eisenhower approves plan for exile invasion. weapons shipments to Cuba. 6 April 1960 New York Times advertisement announces formation of April 1958 General strike by 26th of July Movement in fails. FPCC July 1958 US servicemen and civilians taken hostage by Raul Cas­ 7 May 1960 Cuba and establish diplomatic relations. tro's column in Sierra Crista!' June-July 1960 US-owned refineries refuse to refine Soviet oil, are na­ December 1958 Eisenhower's private envoy fails in last-minute attempts tionalized. Most of Cuba's guaranteed quota of sugar to convince Batista to resign in favor of a coalition gov­ sales to US is cut. Soviet Union pledges support for Cuba ernment to exclude Castro. 26th of July Movement be­ against any aggression. FPCC delegation of African­ gins final offensive. Americans including Robert F. Williams, LeRoi Jones and Harold Cruse visits Cuba. 1 January 1959 In New Year's first hours, Batista flees Cuba; 26th of July Movement assumes power. August 1960 Democratic presidential candidate John F. Kennedy be­ gins attacks on Republican 'softness' towards Castro. So­ 15 April 1959 Fidel Castro arrives in United States on 'truth operation', cialist Workers Party enters FPCC after negotiations with tours Washington, D.C, New York City, and Harvard and Taber. Princeton universities. September 1960 During attendance at meeting of UN General Assembly, 3 June 1959 Agrarian Reform law promulgated, ending period of am­ Castro stays at Theresa Hotel in Harlem, greets world biguity in US-Cuban relations; State Department pro­ leaders. tests, demands immediate full compensation. 13 October 1960 Cuba nationalizes all major enterprises still in private 18-24 July 1959 Castro resigns as premier to force resignation of Provi­ hands. sional President Manuel Urrutia, then resumes office. 19 October 1960 Eisenhower administration announces embargo on trade 13 August 1959 Major William Morgan of US plays leading role in block­ with Cuba as Kennedy continues to attack Republican ing exile landing from ; hailed by presidential candidate Nixon for losing Cuba, calls for Castro, loses US citizenship. aid to counter-revolutionaries on island. 22 October 1959 Arrest of anti-Communist Major and a 24 October 1960 Final expropriation of 166 remaining US-owned busi­ group of his officers. nesses. November 1959 US begins covert hostilities against Cuba, including sup­ November 1960 Kennedy elected. C Wright Mills's Listen, Yankee publish­ port for exile groups in Florida; consensus reached ed. Candidacy for mayor of New York City by Norman among policymakers to remove Castro. Mailer on pro-Fidel platform aborted. LeRoi Jones's es­ 23 January 1960 Robert Taber's article in The Nation leads to organization say 'Cuba Libre' appears in Evergreen. Ronald Hilton arti­ of Fair Play for Cuba Committee (FPCC) by Taber and cle in 19 November Nation exposes US-run training Alan Sagner. camps for exile invasion in . February 1960 Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan of USSR visits island; 23 December 1960 FPCC delegation of 326 people departs from on Cuba and Soviet Union sign agreement to barter Soviet 'Christmas Tour'. industrial goods for 5 million tons of sugar over five January 1961 US breaks diplomatic relations with Cuba, bans travel to years. island. FPCC ordered to register as foreign agent, refuses. 4 March 1960 Munitions ship La Coubre explodes in Havana harbor, Charges in hearing of Senate Internal Security Subcom­ US withdraws ambassador 'for consultations' in response mittee that Cuban government paid for 6 April 1960

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Times ad. Taber stays in Cuba to avoid indictment. March 1961 Alliance for Progress announced. Theodore Draper's 'Castro's Cuba: A Revolution Betrayed?' appears in En­ counter. 3 April 1961 Kennedy administration releases 'White Paper on Cuba', Index written by Arthur Schlesinger, Jr, accusing Castro of be­ traying revolution. 15 April 1961 Havana bombed in preparation for exile invasion; US Ambassador to UN Adlai Stevenson claims raid is by de­ fectors from Cuban Air Force. Castro declares for first time that revolution is 'socialist'. 17 April 1961 Brigade 2506 lands at Playa Gir6n in the Bay of Pigs on Acheson, Dean 115 Bridges, Harry 209 Cuba's south coast. Defeated in three days by Cuban mi­ African·Americans: civil rights movement Browder, Earl 20, 22, 31 n24 litia as Kennedy refuses to authorize US air strikes. Pro­ 8-9, 148-9, 153-4, 170n60, 240,255; Brown University 217 test meetings and rallies across US. support for 120-23, Bundy, McGeorge 116 131-2,147-54,219-20 August 1961 Robert F. Williams receives asylum in Cuba. FPCC begins Afro Magazine 122-3 California, University of 90,155,160,209, 211,218 rapid decline. Alba, Victor 230 Aldermaston marches 4 Cam us, Albert 4 2 December 1961 Fidel Castro declares 'I am a Marxist-Leninist.' America 119-20 Ca pote, Truman 141 American Civil Liberties Union 23 Castro, Fidel 62-5. 258-9; 1955 tour of September 1962 Richard Gibson, Taber's successor as executive secretary American Labor Party 20 US 64-5; April 1959 tour of US 3, Americans for Democratic Action 224 112-16, 149-52; compared with Ken­ of FPCC, flees US. anticolonialism 7, 13-14,25,36,45, 47,23 1 nedy 195-9; criticism of 144, 213-4; First Declaration of Havana 158 ; Marx­ October 1962 . anti·Communism 7; in US films 43-4 antifascism 20-21 ism of241; as non-Communist 71,77, 114; popularity in US 5,110-11,114­ May 1963 Committee for Non-Violent Action begins Quebec-to­ Anti·lmperialist League 14 Antioch College 217, 248n49 16; in Sierra Maestra 18.84-5; US pol­ Guantanamo Peace Walk. Arnaz, Desi 58 icy toward 36, 101n42, 108-9; and US Asphalt Jungle 42 students 114-16; US views of 39, 45, 22 November 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald, purported member of FPCC, Associated Press 215 61-2,116-18 charged with shooting Kennedy. Castro, Raul 63, 70, 84, 89. 101n32, 144. Baldwin, James 141 164 Ba ra n. Pa ul 209 Casuso. Teresa 120 6.161,214-16; Ca tholic Church: and Cuban revolution media coverage 211-12. 214-6; protests 119-20.237; and Mexican revolution against. in US 216-22. 224-5; signifI­ 14, 29n4 cance of 203-4; support for. in US Ca tholic Worker 5. 234 225-6, 228.233 CBS News 2. 49, 82.116. 132n9 Batista. Fulgencio 62, 66. 71, 122; during Ce ntral Intelligence Agency 35. 226; and World War II 20; siezes power. 1952 24 Bay of Pigs 87, 200n15. 214. 215. 221; BaxandaU. Lee 158, 163 and Guatemala 22.27 Beals, Ca rleton 17-19,55, 125-6, 127, 140, Chicago. University of 160 175 Childress, Alice 148 Beats 183-4, 188-92 Christian Century 19, 127 Bendiner, Elmer 25 Cienfuegos, Camilo 63, 84; February 1959 Berle, Adolf A., Ir 22,164,181,212 visit to US 112 Betancourt, R6mulo 24 ci nema: Asphalt Jungle 42; Cuban Rebel Bowles, Chester 206, 227 Girls 97-9; 'Mexico Western' genre Brando, Marlon 41-2 43-4; Rebel Without a Cause 53; Where

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