July 26, 1953,where Batista's military stayed, hoping to destroy the army that persecuted other rebels. Castro did notrealize one major problem: the odds of taking over a nation's military base are small. Allrevolutionaries except Castro and his family were massacred. Although this rupture failed, Castro'smovement gained popularity and prestige all over the world. In fact, Castro called the Revolution the 26of July Movement. Castro himself was caught and sentenced to jail for two years. Between 1955 and 1956,Castro went to United States and Mexico looking for supporters and money to fund his revolution. OnDecember 2, 1956, eighty-two men including Castro and the physician E!rnesto "Che" Guevara, set sail once again for the Oriente on their yacht, the Granma. The campaign wasdoomed from the beginning. "Nobody could navigate the boat properly, everybody was seasick, most of thesupplies were jettisoned in a storm, and the expedition landed in the wrong place."(Sinclair,15) On oneoccasion Guevara followed the wrong star to travel North, and on another, his comrade put the only thedrink they had, milk, upside down in his pocket. By the end of the day the milk was gone. On December 5in the battle of Alegra de Po, Batista's troops killed all of the rebels except twelve. Among thesesurvivors, coincidentally, were Castro and Guevara.Meanwhile, in the cities and universities, a revolutionary movement was also taking place. TheOrtodoxo political party favored a violent revolution against Batista. Its leader and University ofHavana Professor Rafael Brcena organized the National Revolutionary Movement, which gained support fromstudents. Castro refused to join, partly because he was leading his own revolts. In 1953, Batista'sgovernment found out about an upcoming attack that Brcena planned, and sent him to prison. ColonelCosme de la Torriente sought a peaceful answer to Batista by having elections. Knowing he would lose,Batista di...
