Cuba’s Most Clever Art of War: How the Island Nation Duped the US into Giving Away Millions for its Armed Forces
In the 1960s, the United States was facing a major threat in its backyard, with the communist threat in the form of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro’s revolution. To counter this, the US Congress authorized the Military Assistance Program in 1962, which allocated $75 million to support the anti-Castro forces in exile. But, unbeknownst to the Americans, the Cubans had other plans.
With the help of a few key strategists, including Castro, they came up with a clever plan. They created a network of fake front organizations, consisting of exile groups and businesses, to solicit funds from the United States. These front groups would request small sums of money, which would, in turn, be used for legitimate anti-Castro activities, or so it seemed.
The Cubans were skillful in their deception, using coded messages, secret meetings, and cleverly crafted proposals to convince the Americans of their good intentions. They even went so far as to create fake documents and propaganda materials to further their cause, all while secretly channeling the funds towards Cuban Intelligence, military, and its internal security forces.
Despite being warned about the potential risks, the US government and the CIA were oblivious to the deception. The funds continued to flow, and the Cubans used them to build their own military and intelligence capabilities. In the end, the Cubans received millions of dollars from the US, which would have been better spent supporting the actual anti-Castro groups.
The story came to light many years later, as an unholy combination of Congressional investigations, declassified documents, and in-depth reporting revealed the extent of the Cuban duplicitous plan. The implications were staggering – the Cubans had managed to defraud the United States out of millions, using the funds to fuel their own military and espionage endeavors. This is a story that will leave you shaking your head in amazement, testament to the cunning and resourcefulness of the Cuban diplomacy.
