CASTRO SWORN IN AS CUBA'S PRIME MINISTER

February 16, 2013

CASTRO SWORN IN AS CUBA'S PRIME MINISTER

Havana, Cuba (JFK+50) 54 years ago today, February 16, 1959, Fidel Castro* was sworn in as Prime Minister of Cuba after the successful overthrow of dictator Fulgencio Batista.

                 Che Guevara & Fidel Castro
               Photo by Alberto Korda (1961)

*Fidel Castro was born in Biran, Oriente Province on August 13, 1926.  Castro's family ran a sugar plantation.He was a multi-sport athlete as a youth & was trained in law at the University of Havana.Castro married Mirta Diaz-Balart & the couple had one child, a son named Fidelito who was born in 1949.

As early as July 26, 1953, Castro led the effort to depose Batista by attacking Cuba's 2nd largest military base in Santiago.

The attack failed & Castro was arrested, tried, found guilty for conspiring against the government & sentenced to 15 years in prison.

In 1955, however, Castro, along with all political prisoners, was released.  He then went to Mexico where he joined with his brother Raul & Argentina's Che Guevara.

On December 2, 1956, the 3 revolutionaries launched an attack against Batisita's forces on the coast but were forced into the mountains where they continued the fight.

Batista's unpopularity demoralized his military forces & Guevara defeated them at Santa Clara forcing the embattled dictator to flee the island on January 1, 1959.

                           You Tube Video

The Eisenhower Administration initially recognized the Castro regime, but withdrew support when he nationalized $850 million of US assets on the island & declared himself a Marxist.

A covert operation by the CIA was authorized by President Eisenhower to train Cuban exiles who would launch an invasion to overthrow Castro.

JFK inherited this plan & gave his approval for the invasion at the Bay of Pigs which took place on April 17, 1961.

The invasion failed & most of the CIA trained brigade were taken as prisoners.

Fidel Castro remained in power from February 1959 to February 2008.

                               Fidel Castro

                 at Jose Marti Monument

              Photo by Ricardo Stuckert

                                Abr (2003)

NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

 October 9, 2011


WASHINGTON TRIP: NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL

    Sky View from the Atlantic Pavilion
       National World War II Memorial
                      Washington, D.C.
          Photo by John White (2011)


Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) One of the places we wanted to be certain to visit during our recent trip to the Nation's Capital, was the National World War II Memorial.

             World War II Memorial
                   Washington, D.C.
         Photo by John White (2011)


Work was in progress on the memorial during my last visit to D.C. in 2003, so I was anxious to see it in its completed form.


The WWII Memorial is located on 7.4 acres of land between the Washington Monument & Lincoln Memorial.


It honors the 16 million men & women, including my dad, Roy G. White*, who served in WWII.


Two 43 foot pavilions mark victory in the war's major theaters: Atlantic & Pacific & 56 17 foot pillars represent states, territories & the District of Columbia. 

                         Tennessee Pillar
                World War II Memorial
           Photo by John White (2011)


We found the "Freedom Wall" to be most impressive with its 4000 sculptured gold stars which represent 400,000+ Americans who gave their lives in the war.

                           Freedom Wall
                        WWII Memorial
            Photo by John White (2011)


*I've included a story in JFK+50 on my dad's service in WWII previously.  He was given the opportunity to tour the WWII Memorial with a group of veterans a few years back. 


Today my dad is celebrating his 88th Birthday.  Happy Birthday, Dad, & thanks for your service in the United States Army in WWII.

         Jennifer at the WWII Memorial
                    Washington, D.C.
                     September 2011
                Photo by John White


October 9, 2011


"PAN AM" AIRS "ICH BIN EIN BERLINER"


Tonight's episode of  ABC-TV's "Pan Am", airing at 10 p.m. (EDT), is titled "Ich Bin Ein Berliner".


The crew is aboard a flight that is taking journalists to Berlin in order to cover an expected speech by President Kennedy.


Maggie is determined to meet JFK after working on his campaign.


Kate tries to help her endangered contact.*


*A thank you to my daughter Jennifer for alerting me to this program.

                   Pan Am Boeing 707
                  Zurich, Switzerland
     Photo by Eduard Marmet (1985)


October 9, 1959


SENATOR KENNEDY ADDRESS LABOR COUNCIL


Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Senator John F. Kennedy spoke to the delegates of the 2nd convention of the Massachusetts Labor Council of the AFL-CIO today here in Boston.

The address was given at the Statler-Hilton Hotel.


Senator Kennedy said that he plans to introduce a bill to raise the minimum wage & to increase unemployment compensation.


Union president, William J. Belanger, introduced a resolution asking Kennedy to be a candidate  for President of the United States in 1960.


In response, JFK said: 


In "Ecclesiastes" it says:  "'There is a time to fish & a time to cut bait'....  
I believe this is the time to fish & January 1960 (will be) the time to cut bait."


October 9, 1955


BOSTON SUNDAY POST PUBLISHES SENATOR KENNEDY'S REPORT ON POLAND


Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) The Boston Sunday Post today published an article by Senator John F. Kennedy detailing his observations of Poland during his current European tour.


The article details JFK's perceptions of the crowded apartment conditions, the high cost of goods, the conditions of the Warsaw ghetto where the Nazis confined Jews during the occupation, control of the press by the government & government attempts to subvert the church.

October 9, 1942


AUSSIES ADOPT STATUTE OF WESTMINSTER


Canberra, NSW, Australia (JFK+50) The government of Australia today formally adopted the Statute of Westminster of 1931 today here in Canberra.


The statute, passed by the British Parliament, established legislative equality for self-government in the dominions of the British Empire & United Kingdom.


The Statute of Westminster applied to Canada, the Irish Free State & South Africa with no qualification, but Australia's status, along with that of New Zealand & Newfoundland, were contingent upon adoption by their own legislatures.*


*New Zealand adopted the statute in 1947 but Newfoundland never adopted .


October 9, 1635


ROGER WILLIAMS BANNED FROM MASSACHUSETTS


Salem, Massachusetts (JFK+50) Roger Williams, a minister who has repeatedly spoken in favor of religious dissent, was banned today from the Massachusetts Bay Colony by the General Court.


Born in England, Williams arrived in Boston 4 years ago & served as a teacher in the Boston church.  He came to believe, however, that the Church of England is corrupt & so favored the separatist viewpoint.


Williams has preached the belief that every person has a natural right to freedom of religion & he has advocated the separation of church & state.


Having moved here to Salem 2 years ago, Williams, charged with sedition & heresy, was tried & convicted by the General Court of Massachusetts.*


*Roger Williams established Providence Plantation, the 1st colony to separate citizenship & religion. 


Eventually Providence Plantation merged with Rhode Island & the colony was the 1st to declare independence from Great Britain & the last to ratify the United States Constitution.

               Roger Williams Meets 
               Narragansett Indians
  by James Charles Armytage (1856)
           New York Public Library


October 9, 1969


NATIONAL GUARD CALLED TO BREAK UP CHICAGO 8 PROTESTS


Chicago, Illinois (JFK+50) The National Guard was called in today to break up demonstrations in protest of the trial of the so-called "Chicago 8".


The "Chicago 8" are the men who are charged with conspiracy to cross state lines to cause a riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention held here in Chicago.


The riot referred to in the charge turned violent when anti-war demonstrators were confronted by Chicago police by order of Mayor Richard Daley.


October 9, 1967


CHE GUEVARA EXECUTED IN BOLIVIA


La Higuera, Vallegrande, Bolivia (JFK+50) Che Guevara, guerilla fighter & socialist revolutionary, was assassinated today by soldiers of the army of Bolivia.


Guevara was born in Argentina in 1928 & was awarded a medical degree in 1953.


He became involved in left-wing organizations & soon joined Fidel Castro in seizing power in Cuba in 1959.


Guevara, who served as Castro's Minister of Industry, resigned in 1965 & went to Africa & then Bolivia.*


*The Bolivian soldiers who killed Che Guevara, according to a declassified brief by Peter Kornbluh, were "trained, equipped & guided by U.S. Green Beret & CIA operatives."

                         Che Guevara