Cuban Revolution Assault on the Moncada Barracks

On July 26, 1953, Cuba exploded into revolution when Fidel Castro and about 140 rebels attacked the federal garrison at Moncada. Although the operation was well-planned and had the element of surprise, the higher numbers and weapons of the army soldiers, coupled with some remarkably bad luck afflicting the attackers, made the assault a near-total failure for the rebels. Many of the rebels were captured and executed, and Fidel and his brother Raà ºl were put on trial. They lost the battle but won the war: the Moncada assault was the first armed action of the Cuban Revolution, which would triumph in 1959. Background Fulgencio Batista was a military officer who had been president from 1940 to 1944 (and who had held unofficial executive power for some time before 1940). In 1952, Batista ran again for president, but it appeared that he would lose. Together with some other high-ranking officers, Batista smoothly pulled off a coup that removed President Carlos Prà ­o from power. The elections were canceled. Fidel Castro was a charismatic young lawyer who was running for Congress in Cuba’s 1952 elections, and according to some historians, he was likely to win. After the coup, Castro went into hiding, knowing intuitively that his past opposition to different Cuban governments would make him one of the â€Å"enemies of the state† that Batista was rounding up. Planning the Assault Batista’s government was quickly recognized by various Cuban civic groups, such as the banking and business communities. It was also recognized internationally, including by the  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹United States. After the elections were canceled and things had calmed down, Castro tried to bring Batista to court to answer for the takeover, but failed. Castro decided that legal means of removing Batista would never work. Castro began plotting an armed revolution in secret, attracting to his cause many other Cubans disgusted by Batista’s blatant power grab. Castro knew that he needed two things to win: weapons and men to use them. The assault on Moncada was designed to provide both. The barracks were full of weapons, enough to outfit a small army of rebels. Castro reasoned that if the daring attack were successful, hundreds of angry Cubans would flock to his side to help him bring Batista down. Batista’s security forces were aware that several groups (not only Castro’s) were plotting armed insurrection, but they had little resources, and none of them seemed a serious threat to the government. Batista and his men were much more worried about rebellious factions within the army itself as well as the organized political parties that had been favored to win the 1952 elections. The Plan The date for the assault was set for July 26, because July 25 was the festival of St. James and there would be parties in the nearby town. It was hoped that at dawn on the 26th, many of the soldiers would be missing, hungover, or even still drunk inside the barracks. The insurgents would drive in wearing army uniforms, seize control of the base, help themselves to weapons, and leave before other armed forces units could respond. The Moncada barracks are located outside of the city of Santiago, in the Oriente province. In 1953, Oriente was the poorest of Cuba’s regions and the one with the most civil unrest. Castro hoped to spark an uprising, which he would then arm with Moncada weapons. All aspects of the assault were meticulously planned. Castro had printed copies of a  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹manifesto, and ordered that they are delivered to newspapers and select politicians on July 26 at exactly 5:00 am. A farm close to the barracks was rented, where weapons and uniforms were stashed. All of those who participated in the assault made their way to the city of Santiago independently and stayed in rooms that had been rented beforehand. No detail was overlooked as the rebels tried to make the attack a success. The Attack In the early morning of July 26, several cars drove around Santiago, picking up rebels. They all met at the rented farm, where they were issued uniforms and weapons, mostly light rifles and shotguns. Castro briefed them, as no one except a few high-ranking organizers knew what the target was to be. They loaded back in the cars and set off. There were 138 rebels set to attack Moncada, and another 27 sent to attack a smaller outpost in nearby Bayamo. Despite the meticulous organization, the operation was a fiasco almost from the start. One of the cars suffered a flat tire, and two cars got lost in the streets of Santiago. The first car to arrive had gotten through the gate and disarmed the guards, but a two-person routine patrol outside of the gate threw the plan off, and the shooting started before the rebels were in position. The alarm sounded, and the soldiers began a counterattack. There was a heavy machine gun in a tower which kept most of the rebels pinned down in the street outside the barracks. The few rebels who had made it in with the first car fought for a while, but when half of them were killed, they were forced to retreat and join their comrades outside. Seeing that the attack was doomed, Castro ordered a retreat and the rebels quickly scattered. Some of them just threw down their weapons, took off their uniforms, and faded into the nearby city. Some, including Fidel and  Raà ºl Castro, were able to escape. Many were captured, including 22 who had occupied the federal hospital. Once the attack was called off, they had tried to disguise themselves as patients but were found out. The smaller Bayamo force met a similar fate as  they too were captured or driven off. Aftermath Nineteen federal soldiers had been killed, and the remaining soldiers were in a murderous mood. All of the prisoners were massacred, although two women who had been part of the hospital takeover were spared. Most of the prisoners were tortured first, and news of the barbarity of the soldiers soon leaked to the general public. It caused enough of a scandal for the Batista government that by the time Fidel, Raà ºl and many of the remaining rebels were rounded up in the next couple of weeks, they were jailed and not executed. Batista made a great show out of the trials of the conspirators, allowing journalists and civilians to attend. This would prove to be a mistake, as Castro used his trial to attack the government. Castro said that he had organized the assault to remove the tyrant Batista from  office and that he was merely doing his civic duty as a Cuban in standing up for democracy. He denied  nothing but instead took pride in his actions. The trials and Castro riveted the people of Cuba became a national figure. His famous line from the trial is â€Å"History will absolve me!† In a belated attempt to shut him up, the government locked Castro down, claiming he was too ill to continue with his trial. This only made the dictatorship look worse when Castro got the word  out that he was fine and able to stand trial. His trial was eventually conducted in secret, and despite his eloquence, he was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Batista made another tactical mistake in 1955 when he buckled to international pressure and released many political prisoners, including Castro and the others who had participated in the Moncada assault. Freed, Castro and his most loyal comrades went to  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹Mexico to organize and launch the  Cuban Revolution. Legacy Castro named his insurgency â€Å"the 26th of July Movement† after the date of the Moncada assault. Although it was initially a failure, Castro was ultimately able to make the most out of Moncada. He used it as a recruiting tool: although many political parties and groups in Cuba railed against Batista and his crooked regime, only Castro had done anything about it. This attracted many Cubans to the movement who may have otherwise not gotten involved. The massacre of the captured rebels also severely damaged the credibility of Batista and his top officers, who were now seen as butchers, especially once the rebels’ plan – they had hoped to take the barracks without bloodshed – became known. It allowed Castro to use Moncada as a rallying cry, sort of like â€Å"Remember the Alamo!† This is more than a little ironic, as Castro and his men had attacked in the first place, but it became somewhat justified in the face of the subsequent atrocities. Although it failed in its goals of acquiring weapons and arming the unhappy citizens of Oriente Province, Moncada was, in the long run, an essential part of the success of Castro and the 26th of July Movement. Sources: Castaà ±eda, Jorge C.  Compaà ±ero: the Life and Death of Che  Guevara.  New York: Vintage Books, 1997.Coltman, Leycester.  The Real Fidel Castro.  New Haven and London: the Yale University Press, 2003.

Persuasive Essay On Recycling - 904 Words

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Three words every American hears but never takes seriously. Recycling is a major energy saver instead of making things by scratch (Frequently Asked Questions). Landfills take up space that could be used for something else (Gutnik 15). America could reduce the harsh impact that the environment has to endure if American citizens recycle. (Frequently Asked Questions). Even though recycling is a fought about topic it should be mandatory because it is beneficial to the environment, it poses a major health risk if nobody recycles, and if everyone continues not recycling everyday life will change for everyone and everything. Recycling benefits our environment by improving our quality of life, reduces energy costs, and†¦show more content†¦The pollution created has caused St. Louis’ soil to be drenched in one of the most poisonous chemicals known because of the pollution (O’Connor 21). Diseases from rodents and insects caused a severe health risk on the citizens of New York due to the overflow on landfills (O’Connor 9). The health risk due to pollution has increased a great ordeal: if pollution decreases the health risk will decrease significantly. Everyday life will change for animals, people, and land. When people feel the need to throw trash into a creek or a lake it will eventually end up in the oceans where it will affect the ocean and its inhabitants. â€Å"Every day, plants and animals die by nibbling on, swallowing, or becoming entangled in one or more of the five million pieces of plastic trash dumped into our oceans every day† (O’Connor 33). Recycling is a major energy savor and it will cut down cost for energy bills making the average person have more money to spend on items which are necessary. The citizens are responsible for protecting the land and resources for future generations. 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Dangers of Plastic Surgery free essay sample

An Ugly trend Society has always valued beauty. In literature,  ­attractiveness often symbolizes an admirable protagonist, while ugliness indicates the abominable antagonist. As children we are taught, without even realizing it, to prize beauty. People of every race and culture have gone to extremes in the name of beauty – from foot-binding in China, to dangerously constricting corsets in Victorian times, to nose jobs in 800 B. C. India. While plastic surgery has been around since ancient times, it has only recently become accepted by the masses. Television programs that promote plastic surgery – â€Å"I Want a Famous Face† on MTV, â€Å"The Swan† on Fox, â€Å"Extreme Makeover† on ABC, â€Å"Nip/ Tuck† on FX, and â€Å"Dr. 90210† on E – expose the public to a business once kept under wraps. Reality television embraces the topic due to its shock  ­value – however, the public is becoming more and more accustomed to the idea of plastic surgery. Not only have these programs created a generation that isn’t fazed by images of blood, Botox, or bandages. Sometime during the process of beautifying average humans, they have implanted something besides silicone: the belief that cosmetic surgery will improve lives. Now, not only do people accept plastic surgery, they embrace it as a solution to personal and professional problems. While appearance has always been important, mainstream acceptance of plastic surgery has created a society that values appearance over ability. According to Drs. Iva Sorta-Bilajac and Amir Muzur, rhinoplasty developed in ancient India due to the practice of nose mutilation as a form of public punishment for immoral conduct. Therefore, the connection between an unattractive nose and an immoral being was deeply rooted in this society. While the nose is not a vital  ­organ, it is exposed to everyone’s view and has  ­become a symbol of integrity as well as an important  ­aspect of  ­human beauty. Only a couple of decades ago it was considered taboo to admit having â€Å"work† done, and it was not  ­unusual for patients to take extreme measures – sneaking into doctors’ offices through the back door, or using fake names – to hide the fact. As noted in the New York Times article â€Å"The Doctor Will See You, and Your Party, Now† by Anna Bahney, more patients became interested in procedures after seeing them on TV and researching them online. Currently, plastic  ­surgery is so commonplace that instead of scheduling secretive meetings,  ­patients often bring parents, siblings, spouses, or friends to consultations. According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, nearly 11. 5 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the U. S. in 2005. On the website The Medical Tourism Guide, readers are told, â€Å"Plastic or cosmetic surgery can help to boost confidence and vitality. In the case of cosmetic surgery, think of this procedure as an overhaul, much like you’d add that new roof or coat of paint to a car. Some of the appeal lies in the way it is promoted, like statements that market surgery as a confidence-booster. Our reality television shows are modern fairy tales. They all use a common formula: take an average, unhappy individual, alter her appearance, and after a surgical transformation she is magically a success. While the message is the same, there is one difference : these aren’t fictional characters, they’re real people. The confidence that comes from a new nose, fake breasts, or liposuction is only temporary – physically (many procedures are not permanent and need to be repeated) as well as emotionally. Often, patients’ insecurities about their appearance are symptoms of underlying psychological issues, such as depression, and may be temporarily alleviated by surgery. But this temporary confidence is nothing in comparison to the confidence one can obtain by excelling in sports, academics, or a hobby. Marketing cosmetic surgery as a confidence-booster increases profits, but it also gives people unrealistic expectations. They believe that their life will change and are disappointed when it doesn’t. After undergoing plastic surgery, many people finally feel accepted. By transforming into an ideal beauty, they earn the approval of others and receive positive attention. Some people even have â€Å"coming-out parties. † But while plastic surgery may appear to increase confidence, it’s often an illusion – even to the patients themselves, who might confuse real self-esteem with the joy of feeling as though others approve of their appearance. Psychologist David Sarwer believes the acceptance of plastic surgery goes beyond vanity: â€Å"We’ve become  ­increasingly accepting of ways of changing our bodies. We’re much more comfortable with our bodies as malleable. † People have always altered their bodies, mainly through diet or  ­exercise, so it’s no surprise that many view themselves as changeable. But what causes someone to want to alter his or her body? We all seek approval – from parents, spouses, children, coworkers, and friends. Even if it’s a subconscious desire, everyone wants to be deemed acceptable. Plastic surgery can gain the approval of others, but why should you care about the opinion of people who don’t see you for who you are on the inside? Parents often pressure their children to do well academically, but with plastic surgery becoming so accepted, some parents are pressuring their children to have cosmetic work. Children as young as six are undergoing minor procedures, and 13-year-olds are having nose jobs. Doctors and parents who support these surgeries claim that the child understands. However, it’s more probable that she realizes her parents want her to change, and is willing to comply. Some people feel pressured by their spouse to remain youthful or become more  ­attractive. According to Donna Henderson-King, author of â€Å"Acceptance of cosmetic surgery: scale development and validation,† many women â€Å"desire to meet social expectations of beauty. Women are socialized to see themselves as objects to be looked at, and consequently view themselves from the perspective of others. † In this study, King found that the more shame women felt about not having met socially defined standards of beauty, the more likely they were to accept cosmetic surgery. Plastic surgery constantly appears in pop culture. Many celebrities have had cosmetic surgery, and the American public is constantly exposed to images of these altered humans. In a Mike Williams cartoon, two women scrutinizing Rembrandt’s self portrait say, â€Å"You’d think that if he’d been that successful he would have had his nose fixed. † This is a perfect example of society’s belief that attractiveness is a necessary part of success. Rembrandt is a renowned artist, but the women in the cartoon are not discussing his artistic ability; they’re critiquing his appearance. Our society blatantly values appearance over ability. This acceptance of plastic surgery, as well as the value of appearance over ability, affects youth. From a young age, children play with toys like Barbie dolls and burly action figures, with bodies that are physically impossible to achieve. Exposure to these â€Å"ideals† is damaging to the self-esteem of youths. People have always wanted to look like society’s ideal. In the late 19th century, Irish immigrants in New York got â€Å"English† noses to transform themselves into Americans. The ideal  ­appearance in society is always based on the appearance of the dominant group. With so much importance placed on appearance, other attributes often come second. Young people are learning that they should aim to be beautiful instead of intelligent. It’s even a common practice for parents to reward high school graduates with nose jobs, breast  ­implants, or liposuction. But is cos ­metic surgery an appropriate reward for years of hard work and academic achievement? In American culture, the mold of an â€Å"attractive† person is getting smaller and less forgiving of any differences. â€Å"The assembly-line look ultimately damages the notion of personal identity. We are in danger of doing something unthinkable, which is making beauty boring,† according to Dr. Nancy Etcoff. In a cartoon by Dave Carpenter, two men tell a stranger, â€Å"No, we’re not related. We just have the same plastic surgeon. This pokes fun at the tendency for plastic surgery patients to appear generic afterward. However, there is some truth to this. On reality makeover shows, the subjects come out looking eerily alike. Cosmetic surgery is no longer limited to the wealthy; banks offer loans for it. As plastic surgery becomes mor e mainstream, it’s interesting to ponder whether the value of beauty will  ­decrease as it becomes something that anyone can buy. Vanity in our culture has increased and become more acceptable. People are more open about their desire to be attractive, and plastic surgery no longer has a negative connotation. However, America is also the most medicated  ­nation on earth. Ten percent of our population take antidepressants. It’s obvious that these surgeries are not  ­really making us happier. Rather, they delay the process of some individuals seeking the necessary psychological help. Even the young aren’t immune to depression. More children than ever are developing eating disorders and poor self-esteem. Happiness can be achieved, but not through surgery. People need to  ­embrace their differences instead of trying to erase them. Only when we are at peace with ourselves will we be  ­truly radiant.

What Motivates You To Seek A College Education Why Is Berea College A

What motivates you to seek a college education Why is Berea College a good choice for you What motivates me to seek a college education? In addition, why Berea College is a good choice for me. December 16, 2000 The last couple of years have been a long bumpy ride for me, as they have for everyone my age. No matter what, everyone has experienced many of the same teenage circumstances as I have and has dealt with them in their own way. As a personal participant in this game, we call life, I would say I worked hard for and earned first place. That is just my creative view on things. Too bad, not everyone sees it in the same light as I do. As a student, I am an active participant in my academic and extracurricular activities. My first priority has always been to make good grades and learn in school. Although this is important to me, I also know that by participating in clubs, sports, and after school activities, I will become a well-rounded student. During the past years of my high school career I have participated and received awards in the following: Cheerleading (eight years), twice as captain, 97 -98 Varsity Letter in Cheerleading, 98 AIM scholar, Whos Who Among American Cheerleaders, and 98 Academic Excellence Award while participating in Virginia High School League Interscholastic Activities. I also belonged to the following clubs: S.A.D.D. club (two years), second year as secretary, Pep Club, Varsity Club, Choir Club, and Computer Club. In the year 99 -00 I received awards in the following classes: Computer Applications, Spanish I, World Geography, and Advanced Algebra/Trigonometry. I also received an award for Most Encouraging Student. I currently belong to the Hiking and Outdoor Club, Ski Club, Pep Club, and Environmental Awareness Club. In addition, this year I participate in a program called Read With A Friend. In this program I, along with a group of other students, go to the near by elementary school to read to a class of students from kindergarten to fifth grade. In order to gain an understanding of independence and responsibility, I have held summer jobs in the preceding three years. I also worked to help myself financially in boarding school, insurance, a car, everyday necessities, and soon in college. My first summer job was at the Moonlite Drive In Theater. My second was at McDonalds, and my past summer job was at Dairy Queen. I also work currently at Dairy Queen during my long breaks from boarding school. I am thankful for these job experiences. They have prepared me mentally and financially. This is important in that I am now more mature and responsible; which helps me not to be weary of the future but to look forward to it. I am glad to have acquired a taste of what the real world has to offer. I have learned many lessons from my public high school, boarding school, and work experiences. I am now ready to learn many more lessons through my college experience. Although, it has been tough, I have made it this far. I am prepared to excel and make it much further in the years to come with my college education. This evolving positive outlook has reassured me and has given me the motivation I need to become successful. I never give up. When I am determined to achieve, I shoot for the moon and land amongst the stars(unknown). I hope that by reading this you will also see that I am prepared to embark on my journey to a new world, the world of Berea College.