-
US suspended the supply of arms to Batista's forces
Severely weakened Batista's position as he relied on US military aid to fight the rebels. The Cuban air force rapidly lost its power as planes could not be repaired without spare parts from the US. -
Batista launched a new military offensive, Operation Verano
Although outnumbered, Castro's rebel army defeated Batista's men because of their superior knowledge of guerrilla warfare and the superiority of their intelligence network. -
El Jigue Battle
a humiliating defeat for Batista. When Castro realized that Batista's forces were commanded by Major Jose Quevedo, a former classmate form his university, he proposed ceasefire. Quevedo's men had lost the heart to fight and his 146 men surrendered, laying down their arms, and the guerrillas gained a large cache of weapons. -
A demoralised and confused army retreated to the garrisons, never to return to the Sierra Maestro
Batista's army was in disarray.They could not handle the torrential rains of the hurricane season and forced the government to end its offensive. This inspired Castro to make plans for a counteroffensive, which he hoped would lead to a victorious drive to the capitol of Havana. -
Che Guevara's forces had reached Las Villas after a 40-day campaign
They joined with other revolutionary groups and would deliver one of the most decisive military thrusts of the war. Together the rebel groups launched an offensive, which included a major effort to cut roads, and linked the province with the rest of the island. -
Fidel and Raul Castro's command stayed in Oriente and moved to capture Santiago
A squad of 180 rebels under Castro's direction moved against the strategic garrison at Guisa de Miranda. The threat of rebel ambushes had completely stopped traffic along the central highway; the roads were littered with skeletons f army trucks and jeeps. Telephone wires were down and many provinces cities were out of electricity. -
Casualities
The army had suffered over 250 casualties and decided to abandon the garrison. -
Guevara's forces had control over Las Villas Province
On December 18 they attacked the city of Santa Clara. On December 31, Santa Clara had fallen to Guevara's forces. These events demonstrated the significance of Castro's psychological warfare and his elaborate set of ambushes, complete with mines and traps. The US realised that the Batista army was crumbling and sent William Pawley, an American businessman with extensive interests in Cuba, to try and persuade Batista to resign.
