Invasion from East to West in Cuba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Invasion from East to West in Cuba |
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| Part of Cuban War of Independence | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Cuban Nationalists |
 Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Máximo Gómez José Miró Argenter Bernabé Boza |
Arsenio Martínez Campos |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 83,990 | 64,500 | ||||||
The Invasion from East to West was a very important military campaign in Cuba. It started on October 22, 1895, in a place called Mangos de Baraguá. This area was in the old Oriente province.
This big invasion was planned and led by two famous Cuban generals: Antonio Maceo Grajales and Máximo Gómez. Their goal was to spread the fight against Spanish rule across all of Cuba. This event was a key part of the "Cuban War of Independence." The idea for this invasion came from José Martí, a Cuban national hero. The generals wanted to make Spain fight in all six of Cuba's provinces at the same time. This would make the Spanish army weaker on all sides.
Contents
Why the Invasion Happened
Long before this invasion, during the Ten Years' War (1868-1878), there was an earlier attempt to invade from east to west. This first try began on January 1, 1875. However, it didn't go as planned. The invasion got stuck and only reached the western part of Las Villas province. By August 1876, it had stopped moving forward. This was due to problems with how the Cuban forces were organized. There were also disagreements among the Cuban leaders. The failure of this earlier invasion helped lead to Cuba's defeat in the Ten Years' War.
Planning the New Invasion
On May 5, 1895, Máximo Gómez, Antonio Maceo, and José Martí met. They talked about the problems they faced and how important it was to launch a new invasion. Gómez believed they should start as soon as possible. Maceo, however, thought they should wait a bit longer.
Joining Forces: The Invading Army Forms
The Cuban rebel troops won several battles. One big success was crossing the Júcaro to Morón trail. Many thought this trail was impossible to get past. But General Gómez found a way around the obstacles on the path to Villa Clara Province.
After the Assembly of Jimaguayú, General Maceo set up his main camp. He was very busy giving orders for Cuban forces to gather. Some volunteer groups were late, which delayed the start. But Maceo decided to leave on October 22, 1895, from Baraguá. He arrived at Mala Noche, a new meeting point, where he stayed for a few days.
Maceo managed to gather about 1,000 men from one group and 400 from another. This group had a general staff, an escort, and different sections for cavalry and infantry. This eastern group marched across Camagüey. They also crossed the Júcaro-Morón trail. Their goal was to meet up with Máximo Gómez's forces, which were from Camagüey and Villa Clara.
On November 30, 1895, Maceo and his eastern group met with Major General Máximo Gómez. This is when the full invading army was officially formed. It included soldiers from the East, Camagüey, and Villa Clara. The Villa Clara group was the largest, with 1,950 men. In total, the invading army had over 4,000 men. About 3,000 were cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and 1,000 were infantry (soldiers on foot).
Even though most of the Cuban soldiers were barefoot, wore worn-out clothes, and didn't have much food, their spirits were high. The Spanish Army was a powerful European force. They had 200,000 troops, modern weapons, and strong forts. However, many Spanish soldiers got sick from tropical diseases.
The Invasion of Western Cuba
The invading army moved west. In the Battle of Mal Tiempo, a Spanish battalion was completely destroyed. Other important fights happened in Las Taironas, Calimete, and Coliseo. The Cuban army then moved through the plains around the capital city. They finally reached the mountains of Pinar del Río, at the very western end of Cuba.
The entire invasion lasted 92 days. The Cuban forces fought hard for almost 1,800 kilometers. The Spanish commanders saw that their plans to stop the invaders were failing. As the Cubans advanced, they took control of about twenty towns.
See also
In Spanish: Invasión de Oriente a Occidente en Cuba para niños
