“Regarding the Yankee invasion of Afghanistan: If 20 to 30 thousand men employ intelligent methods of guerrilla warfare, the war could last 20 years, 'and it lasted 20 years.'” (Recent tweet by Cuba’s puppet “President” Miguel Diaz-Canel, recalling a comment by Fidel Castro from 2/11/2001.)
“It took them 20 years with thousands killed and billions of dollars spent to confirm that the U.S. has no right to the destiny of Afghanistan or of any sovereign nation.” (Cuba’s foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, Aug. 19, 2021.)
Yes, by all means the terrorists and terror-sponsors who have ruled Cuba for the past 60 years have proper cause to compare themselves to the Taliban as terrorists and oppressors —but puh-leeeze! Not as guerrilla fighters! In fact, nothing could be more uproariously bogus.
Oh, I know, I know, the Fake History Channel, The New York Times, your “woke” professors, Hollywood, etc. have all helped enshrine the KGB-concocted fable of the Castro brothers, Che Guevara and their merry band of masterful guerrilla fighters “overthrowing U.S.-backed dictator Batista.”
In fact, few bigger crocks of BS have ever been cooked up by the communist propaganda complex and its multifarious U.S. accomplices.
But don’t take it from me! After all, I’m: “an-embittered-right-wing-Cuban-exile-with-an-ax-to- grind.”
Fine, then take it from the authoritative "Guerrillas: A History and Analysis From Napoleon’s Time to the 1960’s," by eminent military historian Lt. Col. Arthur Campbell of the British army, who himself commanded successful anti-guerrilla (as in against bona-fide guerrillas) in Malaya, Burma and Cyprus. “The Guerrilla war in Cuba was notable for the marked lack of military skills or offensive spirit in the soldiers of either side. The Fidelistas were completely lacking in the basic military arts or in any experience of fighting.”
As mentioned, one of the most hilarious and enduring hoaxes of the 20th century was the "war" fought by dauntless Che and the Castro rebels against Batista. But I hear it was a kick – a fun way for adolescents to harass adults, loot, rustle a few cows, and play army on weekends with real guns, maybe even getting off a few shots, usually into the air.
What 17 or 18-year-old male could resist? Petty delinquency became not just altruism here, but downright heroism. How many punks get such a window of glory? Normally these stunts land you in reform school. In Cuba in 1958 it might get your picture in The New York Times:
"Comandante Humberto 'El Guapo' Fontova shown here relaxing with a bottle of rum and a grateful senorita after smiting the Fascist hordes of the Tyrant Batista in the ferocious Battle of Santa Clara, described by senior correspondent Herbert Matthews as 'bloodier than Stalingrad!'"
Here's an insider account of one such "battle," from "Comandante" William Morgan as recounted to Paul Bethel after the glorious victory. Bethel was press attaché in Cuba's U.S. Embassy in 1959.
"We had a helluva time, Paul! We used a short-wave radio to broadcast the battle. Eloy and I yelled fake battle commands into the mic while a few of the muchachos shot BARs and pistols into the air for the sound effects. We really whooped it up!"
Here's another insider account from Bethel's book about a "famous battle." This one features Che the Lionhearted himself and his invincible "Column" on their Long March through Las Villas province:
"Guevara's column shuffled right into the U.S. agricultural experimental station in Camaguey. Guevara asked manager Joe McGuire to have a man take a package to Batista's military commander in the city. The package contained $100,000 with a note. Guevara's men moved through the province almost within sight of uninterested Batista troops."
This was part of the famous "Battle of Santa Clara" where Che "Blood 'n' Guts" Guevara earned his eternal fame. Here's the headline in that "Newspaper of Record" for Jan 4, 1959:
"One Thousand Killed in 5 days of Fierce Street Fighting! .... Commander Che Guevara appealed to Batista troops for a truce to clear the streets of casualties! ... Guevara turned the tide in this bloody battle and whipped a Batista force of 3,000 men!"
To give them credit, most of Castro's “comandantes” knew their Batista war had been a gaudy clown show. After the glorious victory, they were content to run down and execute the few Batista men motivated enough to shoot back (most of these were of humble background), settle into the mansions stolen from Batistianos, and enjoy the rest of their booty.
Che's pathological power of self-delusion wouldn't allow him to do this. And he paid the price.
Statistically speaking, a nocturnal stroll through Central Park offers more peril than Castro's rebels faced from the dreaded army of the beastly Fulgencio Batista. According to Bethel, the U.S. Embassy was a little skeptical about all the battlefield bloodshed and heroics and investigated. They ran down every reliable lead and eyewitness account of what The New York Times called a "bloody civil war with thousands dead in single battles!"
They found that in the countryside, in those two years of "ferocious" battles, the total casualties on BOTH sides actually ran to 182—the equivalent of a slow couple of months for gunshot casualties in Chicago.