INVASION OF THE WEST

INVASION OF THE WEST:

The invasion of the west of the island, undertaken by troops of the Liberation Army of Cuba under the command of Major Generals Máximo Gómez and Antonio Maceo between October 22 1895 and January 22, 1896, when the invading column entered Mantua, Cuba’s westernmost settlement, was considered by many military experts of those times as the most daring military event of the century.

The idea of invading the west was always present in the strategy of the main commanders of the revolution. The reason for it is stated in José Martí’s Circular to the Liberation Army of 14 May 1895, a few days before he died in action: “The most important and decisive part of a war does not lie in its battles, nor in personal feats of courage, but in the favorable system whereby everywhere at once, the enemy is weakened and impoverished, has its resources taken away and its obligations increased, is forced to fight against its will, and is prevented from recovering its strength.”

This concept became a glaring reality during the invasion, synthesis and consolidation of Cuban military art. For 92 days, the liberating army covered more than 1,000 kilometers, engaged in 27 combats, occupied 22 important settlements and took from the enemy plenty of military equipment, including 2,036 rifles and 67,000 rounds of ammunition. The magnitude of this feat is more evident when we consider that the invading force was never more than 4,500 troops strong, while the Spanish colonial army had more than 200,000 regular and paramilitary soldiers deployed in this front.

The whole world was impressed by this exploit. The American daily The Sun wrote, “The ability of the revolutionary commander’s strategy has never been surpassed in a war (...) it comes closer to the prodigies of a legend than to the authentic annals of our times. Gómez has displayed in this whole campaign admirable military genius.” And U.S. General Sickles, veteran of the American Civil War considered it thus: “Gómez’s march, from the military point of view, is as outstanding as Sherman’s (...) we must place Gómez and Maceo in the first rank of military ability.”

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