Factors 1 and 2 Military: 1. Effective Military Tactics on Castro's Part 2. Ineffective Tactics on Batista's Part
Facts to Prove Point:
1. It is estimated that throughout the course of the war, Castro's troops never numbered more than 500, yet they were eventually victorious.
2. Castro also employed the "escopeteros" (again, subject specific vocab). The "escopeteros" were poorly armed irregulars that conducted scouting missions and surprise attacks on Batista's troops. Over the course of the war, it is estimated that they carried out anywhere between 30-50 attacks on Batista's men.
3. During "La Ofensiva", the largest attack launched by Batista's men on Castro, there is one battle to take careful note of. The Battle of "La Plata". Despite being heavily outnumbered, Castro's men managed to defeat an army of 500 of Batista's men. 290 were captured by Castro. Castro's men only suffered 3 casualties and 0 prisoners taken by Batista's Forces.
4. Castro also employed the radio to great effect. In fact, on February 14th, 1958 "Radio Rebelde" was established. As stated by Castro, it was a pirate radio station that covered 98% of the island and had 32 different transmission signals.
Facts to Prove Point:
1. Batista is estimated to have had 39,000 troops at his command in fighting the war with Castro.
2. "La Ofensiva", also known as "operation Verano", started on the 28th of June 1958 and ended on the 8th of August 1958. This was Batista's largest offensive against Castro and saw the dispatch of 12,000 troops into the Sierra Maestra mountains. However, 6000 of these troops were untrained and new recruits. Blunder 1.
3. Between the 28th of July 1958 and August 8th 1958, Batista's troops engaged with Castro's men in the battle of "Las Mercedes". During this battle, Castro's troops were completely overwhelmed by Batista's army. In fact, by the end of July, Castro was in danger of being completely wiped out, having already lost 70 men. On August 1st, Castro negotiated for a ceasefire and for reasons unknown it was accepted. By the time fighting was supposed to resume on August 8th, Castro and all his troops had already retreated. Batista found noone to fight. Blunder 2
Thus, on the 28th of December, 1958, the Battle of Santa Clara took place. Castro's army of 340 faced a Batista army of 3900, 10 tanks and an armored train. Castro's men captured 2,900 of Batista's army, eventually forcing the surrender of the opposing general. Batista fled to the dominican republic and on the 1st of January 1959, Castro rose to power.
The Big Question: So Why Exactly Did Castro Rise to Power?
This question can be asked in the exam through a variety of formats. The exam could ask you to examine the role of
1. Popular support 2. Ideology 3. Social conditions/Economic Conditions 4. Military tactics and a whole host of the above factors.
You can take facts from section 1: Causes of the Revolution to explain why Castro rose to power as well. E.g, he rose to power because his ideology moved the masses, or because he capitalised on the void Batista left etc etc.
HOWEVER, most importantly you must remember, whenever answering WHY Castro rose to power, you must start with the military factors from this section: Course of the Revolution. These are the short term precipitating factors in his victory and MUST be mentioned first. Please do not start with the long term causes.
- After being scattered into the Sierra Maestra mountains upon the ambush after arriving in Cuba, Castro and the surviving 20 men started one of the most impressive guerrilla campaigns against Batista and his forces. Castro's guerrilla troops were trained and orchestrated under the guidance of Alberto Bayo - a former member of the left winged spanish forces that lost in the spanish civil war.
Facts to Prove Point:
1. It is estimated that throughout the course of the war, Castro's troops never numbered more than 500, yet they were eventually victorious.
2. Castro also employed the "escopeteros" (again, subject specific vocab). The "escopeteros" were poorly armed irregulars that conducted scouting missions and surprise attacks on Batista's troops. Over the course of the war, it is estimated that they carried out anywhere between 30-50 attacks on Batista's men.
3. During "La Ofensiva", the largest attack launched by Batista's men on Castro, there is one battle to take careful note of. The Battle of "La Plata". Despite being heavily outnumbered, Castro's men managed to defeat an army of 500 of Batista's men. 290 were captured by Castro. Castro's men only suffered 3 casualties and 0 prisoners taken by Batista's Forces.
4. Castro also employed the radio to great effect. In fact, on February 14th, 1958 "Radio Rebelde" was established. As stated by Castro, it was a pirate radio station that covered 98% of the island and had 32 different transmission signals.
- Batista made the wrong decisions militarily and his conventional war tactic was no match for Castro. He also made poor choices over the course of his battle with Castro and this eventually led to Castro's rise to power.
Facts to Prove Point:
1. Batista is estimated to have had 39,000 troops at his command in fighting the war with Castro.
2. "La Ofensiva", also known as "operation Verano", started on the 28th of June 1958 and ended on the 8th of August 1958. This was Batista's largest offensive against Castro and saw the dispatch of 12,000 troops into the Sierra Maestra mountains. However, 6000 of these troops were untrained and new recruits. Blunder 1.
3. Between the 28th of July 1958 and August 8th 1958, Batista's troops engaged with Castro's men in the battle of "Las Mercedes". During this battle, Castro's troops were completely overwhelmed by Batista's army. In fact, by the end of July, Castro was in danger of being completely wiped out, having already lost 70 men. On August 1st, Castro negotiated for a ceasefire and for reasons unknown it was accepted. By the time fighting was supposed to resume on August 8th, Castro and all his troops had already retreated. Batista found noone to fight. Blunder 2
Thus, on the 28th of December, 1958, the Battle of Santa Clara took place. Castro's army of 340 faced a Batista army of 3900, 10 tanks and an armored train. Castro's men captured 2,900 of Batista's army, eventually forcing the surrender of the opposing general. Batista fled to the dominican republic and on the 1st of January 1959, Castro rose to power.
The Big Question: So Why Exactly Did Castro Rise to Power?
This question can be asked in the exam through a variety of formats. The exam could ask you to examine the role of
1. Popular support 2. Ideology 3. Social conditions/Economic Conditions 4. Military tactics and a whole host of the above factors.
You can take facts from section 1: Causes of the Revolution to explain why Castro rose to power as well. E.g, he rose to power because his ideology moved the masses, or because he capitalised on the void Batista left etc etc.
HOWEVER, most importantly you must remember, whenever answering WHY Castro rose to power, you must start with the military factors from this section: Course of the Revolution. These are the short term precipitating factors in his victory and MUST be mentioned first. Please do not start with the long term causes.