Radio Rebelde
Directs rebel radio broadcasts from the Sierra Maestra.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1958 in Cuba
Explore 163 historical events and records for Cuba in 1958.
Historical records for Cuba in 1958
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 163 unique records.
163Unique records
1 of 5Page
28Named events on this page
11Named people on this page
3Places on this page
February
Frank Pais Eastern Front
Appointed Comandante and assigned the mission to cross the old province of Oriente leading a column of guerrillas to open, to the northeast of that territory, the "Frank Pais Eastern Front"
Frank Pais Eastern Front
Opens the Frank Pais Eastern Front in Oriente.
Oriente Campaign
Appointed Comandante and assigned the mission to cross the old province of Oriente leading a column of guerrillas to open, to the northeast of that territory, the "Frank Pais Eastern Front"
Promotion to Comandante
Appointed Comandante and assigned the mission to cross the old province of Oriente leading a column of guerrillas to open, to the northeast of that territory, the "Frank Pais Eastern Front"
Promotion to Commander
Almeida is promoted to commander in the Rebel Army before taking responsibility for a major eastern front of the revolutionary campaign.
Escopeteros
The Revolutionary Directorate attacks Batista's palace and radio station.
Movement Political Programme
Castro's movement reports that professors from the University of Oriente are drafting a more formal political and economic programme for the 26th of July Movement.
Radio Rebelde
The Revolutionary Directorate attacks Batista's palace and radio station.
Radio Rebelde
Radio broadcasts were made possible by Carlos Franqui
Rebel Radio
The Revolutionary Directorate attacks Batista's palace and radio station.
March
Crisis of Batista Regime
The United States restricts arms supplies to Batista's government.
Embargo
The United States restricts arms supplies to Batista's government.
United States restricts arms supplies to Batista's government
The United States restricts arms supplies to Batista's government.
US Arms Embargo
Faces a United States arms embargo as rebel pressure grows.
Arms Delivery
Huber Matos arrives in the Sierra Maestra with a planeload of weapons and ammunition obtained with support from Costa Rican President José Figueres.
Second Eastern Front
Raúl Castro establishes a separate rebel command in northeastern Oriente that becomes known as the Second Eastern Front.
Third Eastern Front
Juan Almeida Bosque becomes a commander in the eastern rebel organization and leads the Third Eastern Front in Oriente during 1958.
April
General Strike
The 26th of July Movement calls a general strike against Batista, but the April 9 action fails to gain nationwide support and is quickly suppressed.
General Strike
Calls for a general strike against Batista.
General Strike
Helps organise the April strike against Batista.
Promotion to Commander
Fidel Castro promotes Cienfuegos to commander after successful guerrilla operations against government communications and positions in Oriente.
May
Cantillo Given Offensive Mission
Batista assigns Cantillo the mission of destroying Castro's forces in the Sierra Maestra.
Summer Offensive Authorised
Batista authorises a large army operation against the 26th of July Movement.
Battle of La Plata
Commands Batista's summer offensive against Castro's guerrillas.
Defence after Failed General Strike
Castro regroups the guerrillas after the failed April general strike strengthens Batista's resolve.
Divided Command Approved
Batista divides responsibility between Cantillo and Chaviano during planning for the offensive.
Divided Operational Command
Chaviano shares operational authority with Cantillo, complicating coordination of the offensive.
Invasion of Cuba
When Operation Verano ends, Castro orders 3 columns commanded by Guevara, Jaime Vega and Camilo Cienfuegos to invade central Cuba
Mountain Supply Routes Blocked
Cantillo places roadblocks around the Sierra Maestra to restrict supplies reaching the rebels.
Operation Verano
Launches a summer offensive against Castro's guerrillas.
Operation Verano
Commands Batista's summer offensive against Castro's guerrillas.
Operation Verano
Cantillo surrounds the mountain range of the Sierra Maestra, and set up roadblocks to prevent supplies from getting to the guerrillas, and attacked from the north to drive the guerrillas down to the south coast
Operation Verano
The offensive fails because Cantillo's soldiers fight in unfamiliar terrain (forests and jungles of the Sierra Maestra) and because much of the army was demoralized and unmotivated
Operation Verano
Commands Batista's offensive against the Sierra Maestra rebels.
Operation Verano
A bad decision was to divide operational control between two Generals, Cantillo and the ineffective (but politically well connected) General Alberto del Rio Chaviano
Operation Verano
Shares operational responsibility during Batista's offensive.
Operational Command Assigned
Cantillo receives responsibility for the principal army operation against Castro.
Plan FF Approved
Batista approves the campaign known as Plan FF, meaning Final Phase or End of Fidel.
Rebel Army Targeted
Batista intends to eliminate Castro's growing guerrilla force before it expands further.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.