CHRONOLOGY

Tracking Ché Guevara’s history since the Granma’s landing in Los Cayuelos until the beginning of the Invasion of the western part of the island

(THE UNDERLINED DATES APPEAR ON THE MAPS)

1956

December 2, 1956, 6 a.m.:
The Granma yacht ran aground in Los Cayuelos and landing of the expeditionary group.

December 4, 1956
The expeditionary group passes near Agua Fina (called by Ché “Agua Fría”)

December 5, 1956, 5 p.m.
The army of the tyranny in Alegría de Pío attacks the expeditionary group. The revolutionaries split into three groups conducted by Fidel, Raúl and Almeida (Ché goes with this group)

December 9, 1956
The expeditionary group of Almeida and Ché arrives to the coast and bathe in a small beach located two kilometers from Punta Escalereta.

December 10, 1956
Almeida’s group arrives to the Boca de Toro inlet.

December 12, 1956
The expeditionary group commanded by Almeida passes near Las Guásimas village. They avoid passing near a bohío (typical Cuban farmer’s house) where soldiers of the Batista’s army are having a party.

December 13, 1956
The expeditionary group of Almeida and Ché arrives to the house of Alfredo González, in Ojo de Agua. After several days of fasting, the members of the group eat until they get sick. Ché says: “it’s a food carnival”.
December 21, 1956, in the early hours of the morning:
The group commanded by Juan Almeida Bosque, of which Ché was a member, metes Fidel in Purial de Vicana, (Cinco Palmas).

December 25, 1956:
Guillermo García Frías and other seven countrymen join the guerrilla.

December 30, 1956:
Guided by Crescencio Pérez, they go up to the top of the Silantro hill.

1957

January 1st, 1957:
This day, the guerrilla is near Caridad de Mota (Derecha de Caridad).

January 3, 1957:
They arrive to the side of the Caracas hill and they meet there the countryman Eutimio Guerra. Then, they carry on up to the banks of the Magdalena River, where they camp for two days in order to plan the attack on La Plata barracks.

January 17, 1957, 2:40 a.m. to 4:30 a.m.:
Attack and occupation of La Plata barracks, in the south coast of Oriente.

January 22, 1957, at midday:
Llanos del Infierno combat.

January 30, 1957, about this date:
Return to Caracas hill. They camp almost at the summit of the hill, near a spring.

February 17, 1957:
Interview granted by the Commander Fidel Castro to the American journalist Herbert L. Matthews at Los Chorros farm that owns Epifanio Díaz.

February 17, 1957:
Execution of Eutimio Guerra, a traitor.

February 24, 1957:
Publication of the interview granted by the Commander Fidel Castro to the journalist Herbert L. Matthews in the Sunday edition of the “New York Times” journal.

February 28, 1957:
As an answer to the denial of one of the Batista’s ministers, Matthews publishes a photograph of Fidel Castro into the Sierra Maestra.

April 23, 1957:
The American journalist, Robert “Bob” Taber, arrives to the Sierra Maestra, accompanied by a cameraman.

April 1957:
La Plata headquarters are set up into the Sierra Maestra, near the Turquino Peak.

May 18, 1957:
Ché receives a machine gun and then he becomes a combatant. Until that moment, he had always been the doctor of the group and he had fought just occasionally.

May 28, 1957:
El Uvero combat. This combat marks the moment in which the Rebel Army reaches the age of majority.

June 1957:
Ché takes care of the revolutionaries injured during El Uvero combat during almost the whole month.

July 21, 1957:
Ché is promoted to the rank of Commander and appointed Chief of Column No. 4 of the First Front. Column No. 4 was created after Column No. 1.

August 1, 1957:
As the Chief of Column No. 4, Ché occupies the Bueycito barracks. This is his first action and the first victory of the Ché’s forces after his promotion to the rank of Commander.

August 17, 1957:
Forces of columns No. 1 and 4 combat in Pino del Agua and defeat the Batista’s army as a result of an ambush brilliantly prepared by Ché.

August 29, 1957:
Important victory of Column No. 4 in El Hombrito.

November 1st, 1957:
Ché founds ”El Cubano Libre” (The Free Cuban) journal.

1958

March 28, 1958:
Ramiro Valdés Menéndez is promoted to the rank of Commander and becomes the Chief of Column No. 4 when Ché is transferred to the Recruits School in order to prepare the future members of the Invasion Column No. 8

April 1958:
Ché, who is in La Otilia camp, goes to El Jíbaro camp to meet Fidel.

April 15, 1958:
Jorge Ricardo Masetti, the Argentinean journalist, arrives to the Sierra Maestra. Fidel and Ché grant him an interview.

August 31, 1958:
Invasion Column No. 8, commanded by Ché, moves to invade Las Villas.