Che's Journey
LAS COLORADAS
82 members of the 26th of July Movement land at Las Coloradas on the coast of Cuba's Oriente Province on December 2nd, 1956. Led by Fidel Castro, the group includes Ernesto Guevara, a young medic from Argentina. Attacked by the forces of Cuban dictator, Fulgencio Batista, soon after landing, many of the group were killed in combat or executed upon capture.
SIERRA MAESTRA MOUNTAINS
Following the attack by Batista's forces, a small group of revolutionaries regrouped in the Sierra Maestra Mountains. From there they stage continuous successful guerrilla attacks against the Batista government, gaining widespread support and growing to an estimated 3,000 men. While based here, Castro promotes
Guevara
to comandante of a second army column.
BUEUYCITO
Guevara's first act in his new position was to lead an attack on one of Batista's garrisons at Bueuycito. Despite his gun jamming at a critical moment, the attack was successful and the garrison surrendered to the rebels.
LAS MERCEDES
In July of 1958, Guevara's troops played a key role in the Battle of Las Mercedes by halting a force of 1,500 men called up by Batista's General Cantillo in a plan to encircle and destroy Castro's forces. Although the battle eventually ended when Castro requested a cease-fire, it was not considered a defeat for the
revolutionaries
. The willingness of Batista's generals to negotiate and accept a ceasefire proposal when they were in a position to wipe out the rebels was seen as indicative of their reluctance to fight and is credited with undermining the morale of their troops.
SANTA CLARA
In late December, 1958, Guevara led his soldiers in an attack on Santa Clara. The city was the last major obstacle that stood between the rebels and Havana and the battle there would prove to be the decisive conflict of the revolution. After successfully taking an armoured train fill of reinforcements and weaponry for Batista's troops, the city fell on New Year's Eve and Batista's forces negotiated a surrender deal with the revolutionaries which would signal an end to the fighting.
HAVANA
Following the surrender of Santa Clara, Batista fled the country for the Dominican Republic on January 1st, 1959. On January 8th, Castro's army rolled victoriously into Havana. In February, the revolutionary government proclaimed Guevara "a Cuban citizen by birth" in recognition of his role in the triumph.
