Rebel Counteroffensive Follows
The failed summer offensive allows Castro to begin expanding rebel operations across Cuba.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1958 in Cuba — Page 4
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
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31Named events on this page
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13Places on this page
August
Rebel Strategic Counteroffensive Ordered
Castro orders Che Guevara to lead Column 8 toward Las Villas after defeating the summer offensive.
Western Offensive
Leads a rebel column west from Oriente.
Western Offensive
Commands a column sent west during the final offensive.
Column 2 Assignment
Cienfuegos receives command of Column 2, Antonio Maceo, for the westward rebel advance from the Sierra Maestra.
Las Mercedes Ceasefire
Cantillo accepts a temporary ceasefire proposed by Castro during the final battle.
Oriente Rebel Fronts
By August 1958, the 26th of July Movement operates several rebel fronts in Oriente under commanders including Fidel Castro, Raúl Castro and Juan Almeida Bosque.
Rebel Withdrawal during Ceasefire
Castro uses the pause to withdraw fighters from the threatened area.
Temporary Ceasefire Accepted
Cantillo accepts the ceasefire request during negotiations at Las Mercedes.
Temporary Ceasefire Proposed
Castro proposes a ceasefire while his forces remain threatened by encirclement.
Wounded Prisoners Evacuated
Castro requests helicopter assistance to evacuate wounded government prisoners safely.
September
Battle of Santa Clara
Three columns under the command of Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and Jaime Vega proceeded westward toward the provincial capital of Santa Clara
Battle of Santa Clara
Three columns under the command of Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos and Jaime Vega proceeded westward toward the provincial capital of Santa Clara
Capture of Contramaestre
Rebel forces capture Maffo during the final offensive.
Capture of Maffo
Rebel forces capture Maffo during the final offensive.
Cauto Plains Campaign
Consolidates rebel control after the failure of Operation Verano.
Cauto Plains Campaign
Castro expands rebel operations onto the Cauto plains after Operation Verano fails.
Central Oriente Campaign
Rebel forces capture Maffo during the final offensive.
October
Oriente Campaign
By October 1958, after being reinforced by Fidel, the two brothers had about 2,000 fighters and they were operating freely throughout Oriente province
Oriente Campaign
Expands rebel control in eastern Cuba.
November
Battle of Guisa
Fidel Castro's forces begin the Battle of Guisa, part of the late-1958 rebel offensive that expands control across the Cauto plains.
December
Siege of Yaguajay
Cienfuegos joins the siege of the government garrison at Yaguajay during the final rebel offensive in Las Villas.
Secret Negotiations
Discusses a transition as Batista's regime collapses.
Capture of Maffo
Captures Maffo during the final Oriente campaign.
Capture of Santiago
The victorious rebel army heads to Santiago de Cuba, the capital of Oriente province
Oriente Campaign
The victorious rebel army heads to Santiago de Cuba, the capital of Oriente province
Yaguajay Surrender Offer
Cienfuegos offers surrender terms to Captain Alfredo Abon Lee, promising guarantees for the garrison if it lays down its arms.
Battle of Yaguajay
Captures Yaguajay during the final rebel offensive.
Battle of Yaguajay
Fights with Cienfuegos during the final offensive.
Battle of Yaguajay Victory
The government garrison at Yaguajay surrenders to forces under Cienfuegos, removing an important obstacle during the final collapse of Batista's military position.
Fall of Santa Clara
The defeat at Santa Clara convinces Batista to flee.
Final Santiago Campaign
Matos leads his rebel column during the final campaign toward Santiago de Cuba as Batista's military position collapses.
Las Villas Campaign
Cienfuegos operates in Las Villas alongside other rebel forces as the 26th of July Movement expands its final offensive across central Cuba.
Other events (month unknown)
Battle of Santa Clara
The fall of Santa Clara convinces Batista the war is lost.
Capture of Santa Clara
The fall of Santa Clara convinces Batista the war is lost.
Crisis of Batista Regime
The fall of Santa Clara convinces Batista the war is lost.
Crisis of Batista Regime
The rebels had succeeded in breaking out of the Sierra Maestra and launch a general insurrection, joined by hundreds of students and others fleeing Batista's crackdown on dissent in the cities
General Strike
The attitude of Batista changes in the spring of 1958 as Castro started to gain international recognition and he called for a General Strike
Granma
The offensive is designed to crush Fidel Castro's revolutionary army, who had been growing in strength in the area of the Sierra Maestra hills since their arrival in Cuba onboard the Granma yacht in December 1956
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
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.