I Will Stage A Coup D’état - Chapter 189



Only Krnovel

EP.189 Cuban Revolution (2)

Sergeant Batista, the dictator who ruled Cuba with an iron fist, was born in Banes, Cuba in 1901.

Batista grew up seeing the power and influence of the United States ruling Cuba with an iron fist.

‘The sword is the best means of government, I see.’

Then, as the country descended into chaos due to President Machado’s authoritarian rule and the Great Depression, Batista saw an opportunity to seize power with keen sense.

At this time, Batista’s rank was only sergeant.

Batista seized power in the country through the ‘Sergeant Major’s Rebellion’ in 1933.

He exercised real power through a five-member committee, and from 1940 onwards he became president himself and ruled Cuba for four years.

“Now that I’m a legitimate leader, I need to look good, right?”

Batista also tried to imitate Pyongyang, which was doing well in his own way, to govern.

“Korean-style democracy! Batista does it too!”

The constitution was also changed to be quite democratic.

However, the Batista regime was not very popular among the people.

“What kind of government does an ignorant sergeant bastard have?”

Batista had to step down from power as soon as his term ended.

“Your Majesty, our loyalty remains with you.”

“okay.”

Even though Batista lost power, the Cuban military still followed him.

It would not have been a problem for Batista to seize power if he had wanted to.

‘It still looks like a coup, but it’s not quite there.’

How can he get rid of his image as a radical sergeant by coming to power ignorantly and using guns?

Batista decided to endure it for now.

Batista’s calculation was that if his successor made mistakes, his own opportunities would come.

Batista endured it once in 1948.

And in 1952, confident of victory, Baptiste fielded a substitute candidate named Bajiro Seul in the elections.

‘As long as you win, it’s a legal dictatorship.’

This is a pseudo-legal dictatorship technique that even Batista was quickly learning.

Batista popped the champagne, confident that the 1952 presidential election would end in his victory.

But what the heck?

“Our candidate is in last place?”

Election polls predicted that Carlos Saladrigas Zayas, the candidate fielded by Batista, would suffer a crushing defeat.

“If this continues, we are finished, Your Majesty.”

Like most military dictators, Batista had no intention of conceding the election results.

“There is nothing I can do. Since the people of this country do not know the true path, I have no choice but to make a decision to save the country.”

Batista abandoned any idea of ​​regaining power legally.

If you think about it, didn’t Lee Seong-jun also seize power with guns and swords?

Batista gathered retired officers and active-duty soldiers to plan a military rebellion.

“If Your Majesty steps forward, we will follow.”

Batista’s reputation within the military remained intact.

Thus, in 1952, Batista staged a coup and ousted President Carlos Frio Socarras.

It was the moment when a truly iron-fisted dictatorship, unlike anything before, arrived.

Batista decided to first seek weak legitimacy from the United States.

“저는, 오늘부터 미국의 개새끼입니다. 짖으라면 짖고, 물라면 물겠습니다.”

“okay?”

Washington decided to tolerate Batista’s coup.

Anyway, it didn’t matter whether he was a dictator or not, as long as he listened to America.

Batista, with the support of the United States, wielded strong dictatorial powers.

In 1940, the constitution was abolished and most political freedoms were taken away.

The model that Batista referenced was the ‘Yushin Korea’ implemented by Lee Seong-jun.

‘No matter what, the epitome of dictatorship was Korea during that time.’

Batista couldn’t understand why Lee Sung-jun was giving up power like that.

“You guys have worked hard too. From now on, wear your military uniform and perform your duties as a member of the National Assembly.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Batista took inspiration from the Korean Yushin regime and appointed one-third of the seats in the National Assembly to military personnel.

As if that wasn’t enough, they also introduced a few more dark histories of Lee Seong-jun.

“Isn’t it a bit much to openly run a political prison camp? Let’s do some ‘revolutionary education’ like Lee Seong-jun.”

Batista set up “revolutionary camps” throughout Cuba to brainwash the population with his sayings and governing philosophy.

“Your Excellency Batista, you are a superman on a white horse who came down from heaven for the Cuban people.”

“That’s it.”

Batista portrayed himself as a superman, but in reality he was anything but.

Under Batista’s rule, Cuba was rapidly falling apart.

In just one year, the sugar industry was completely taken over by foreigners, and the beautiful white sandy beaches became vacation homes for Americans.

The remaining vast tracts of land were owned by landowners who sided with Batista.

“Hehehe. I ask for your continued support in the future.”

“Just do well in the military with me. Don’t forget to support me.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

Batista also arranged prostitution here.

Batista ran hundreds of brothels in collaboration with the mafia.

“It’s great to have fun with Cuban women. Come visit us often.”

All the profits thus generated went into the pockets of Batista and his associates.

“If I live well, this country will live well too.”

“You are right.”

There was no original intention to transform Cuba into a progressive country.

All that remained in his heart was the desire for power.

As the Batista regime became more corrupt, anger within Cuba boiled over.

Protests erupted throughout the city, and riots and strikes became frequent.

Of course, Batista wasn’t stupid, so he knew that this situation was not good.

So Batista also came up with his own plan.

“In case a large-scale riot breaks out, we should also start preparing to protect our regime.”

Batista also referenced Korea’s advanced civilization.

Even if we try to reference Britain or the United States, the West has never experienced a proper coup or uprising.

So, it was Korea.

Korea is a country that has recently experienced large-scale civil unrest, so it has a wealth of know-how in responding to such events.

Batista brought in several measures through his embassy in Pyongyang.

“Loyalty Unit?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. This Loyalty Unit is the core unit that suppresses rebels in times of emergency. Of course, it is useful not only for suppressing rebellions, but also for suppressing civil unrest.”

“Loyalty Unit. Give it a try.”

Batista first applied the concept of loyalty units imported from Korea to the metropolitan area units.

And while observing the loyalty training directly, I became certain of one thing.

‘As expected, Korea is a leading country in this field.’

The sight of infantrymen advancing with shields in step was majestic enough to intimidate the demonstrators.

Add tear gas to that and you wouldn’t have to fear even a million protesters.

“Prepare to suppress the protest!”

“evil!”

After observing the training, Batista ordered that this training method be expanded to the entire army.

“If the entire military is transformed into police in an emergency, how can the protesters overthrow the government?”

“That is correct.”

Batista was thus prepared to respond thoroughly to protests/riots.

In fact, there was no factor that could shake the Batista regime unless it was overturned from within.

Batista’s change in tactics soon paid off.

“It’s the military and police!”

“Take care of everything!”

Cuban troops armed with batons and shields joined with police and brutally crushed the protesters.

“Ahh!”

Batista arrested these protesters and sent them to revolutionary concentration camps.

At first, ‘corrective education’ was the main focus, but as the number of inmates increased, the Batista regime changed its mind.

‘Well, it’s a pain to manage them all, so why don’t we just kill them all?’

In any case, the population was what remained in Cuba.

The Batista government began a “disappearance” operation, focusing on the leaders of the protests.

Batista wielded his iron fist in this way, but the discontent did not subside.

From the beginning, it was greedy to suffocate the people and then hope that their discontent would subside.

“Oh my, Miguel. You little brat. Why did you come back in this state?”

The more the Batista regime killed, the more Cubans became determined to resist.

The size of the protests only grew larger with each passing day.

As the situation developed, Batista also came up with more drastic measures.

“Establish a state to suppress communist activities and thoroughly kill the communists!”

The United States condoned the Cuban authorities’ brutal crackdown.

“They say they’re catching communists, so they might shed some blood.”

Ironically, this red stampede led to a massive proliferation of ‘socialists’ in Cuba.

“If I oppose Batista, I’m a socialist? Then I’m a socialist too.”

By late 1954, the socialist wing of Cuba had become too large to be ignored.

This led Castro, who was in Mexico, to calculate that there was no need to wait until next year.

“Comrades, let’s cross now.”

“Huh? Already?”

“If you don’t move when the time is ripe, when will it ever be easy?”

Castro landed in Cuba leading a force of 58 revolutionary fighters.

It was not a large force, but it was enough to threaten the Batista regime.

Batista was completely oblivious to their landing.

Of course, even if he knew, he probably wouldn’t have thought much of it.

A group of less than 60 people.

What can they do?

But that group of less than 60 people had a sincere desire to turn Cuba upside down.

Two years earlier than the original version.

The spark of the Cuban Revolution has landed in Cuba.