Mariana Grajales Women's Platoon

The Mariana Grajales Women's Platoon (Spanish: El pelotón Mariana Grajales), or Las Marianas, was an all-female military platoon created by Fidel Castro, Celia Sánchez, and Haydée Santamaría during the 26th of July Movement on 4 September 1958, named after the Cuban icon Mariana Grajales who served in the Cuban War of Independence.[3][4][5]

Mariana Grajales Women’s Platoon
El pelotón Mariana Grajales
Active4 September 1958 - 1 January 1959
Disbanded1 January 1959
CountryCuba
Allegiance26th of July Movement
Size13 or 14
Nickname(s)Las Marianas
EngagementsBattle of Cerro Pelado, Battle of Guisa[1][2]
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Isabel Rielo, Teté Puebla

History

After a group of women led by Isabel Rielo pleaded with Fidel Castro to create a women's unit, Castro summoned the leaders of the rebel army for a debate on 3 September 1958. After seven hours of discussion, at about 1 a.m. Castro authorized the creation of the platoon.[6] Isabel Rielo was selected to lead the platoon as the result of a shooting test.[7]

It is estimated by several accounts that women only made up about 5% of the total rebel forces during the Cuban Revolution.[8][9] So the Mariana Grajales Platoon, which was composed of 13 young women, was a unique component of the revolutionary army.[10][11] The platoon was essential in the rebels' 28 September 1958 victory over the Batista forces at Cerro Pelado (near modern-day Bartolomé Masó) after a three-day battle.[11]

Members of the platoon used M-1 carbines as their weapon of choice.[12]

Following victory in January 1959, the members of the platoon worked to build schools in the mountainous portion of eastern Cuba.[13]

On 4 September 1988, the 30th anniversary of the founding of the platoon, a commemorative event was held at the headquarters of the Women's Anti-Air Artillery Regiment.[14] In attendance were Vilma Espín, president of the Federation of Cuban Women, Nguyễn Thị Định, then-Vice President of Vietnam and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and Corps General Julio Casas Regueiro of the Revolutionary Armed Forces.

Members
  • Haydée Santamaría [15][16]
  • Isabel Rielo Rodríguez (commanding officer)
  • Teté Puebla (second-in-command)
  • Olga Guevara Pérez
  • Eva Palma Rodríguez
  • Lilia Rielo Rodríguez
  • Rita García Reyes
  • Angelina Antolín Escalona
  • Edemis Tamayo Núñez
  • Norma Ferrer Benítez
  • Flor Pérez Chávez
  • Juana Peña Peña
  • Orosia Soto Sardiña
  • Ada Bella Acosta Pompa[17]
gollark: Some of the nicer ones will even filter noise and work out orientation for you.
gollark: You could just use an IMU with all three of those.
gollark: Oh, right, it would still respond more slowl.y
gollark: Couldn't you just make it average the *last* 5 values?
gollark: For backend stuff general purpose programming languages like Python which are less awful are preferred.

See also

References
  1. Noticias, Agencia Cubana de. "Batalla de Guisa, victoria esencial del Ejército Rebelde". Agencia Cubana de Noticias (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  2. "The Militant - April 20, 2004 -- How Rebel Army took the town of Guisa". www.themilitant.com. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  3. "Women in Cuba: The Revolution Within The Revolution". NADJA. 2016-12-05. Retrieved 2020-05-13.
  4. THOMAS-WOODARD, TIFFANY A. (2003). ""Towards the Gates of Eternity": Celia Sánchez Manduley and the Creation of Cuba's New Woman". Cuban Studies. 34: 154–180. ISSN 0361-4441.
  5. "Las Marianas, un pelotón de valerosas mujeres". www.artemisaradioweb.icrt.cu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  6. "Revelaciones sobre Las Marianas". www.juventudrebelde.cu (in Spanish). Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  7. "Las Marianas de la Sierra". www.granma.cu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  8. Volo, Lorraine Bayard de (2018-02-01). Women and the Cuban Insurrection: How Gender Shaped Castro's Victory. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-316-83609-5.
  9. The Guerrilla and how to Fight Him. U.S. Marine Corps. 1962.
  10. Reif, Linda L. (1986). "Women in Latin American Guerrilla Movements: A Comparative Perspective". Comparative Politics. 18 (2): 147–169. doi:10.2307/421841. ISSN 0010-4159.
  11. Haney, Richard (2005). Celia Sánchez: The Legend of Cuba's Revolutionary Heart. Algora Publishing. ISBN 978-0-87586-397-9.
  12. Diamond, Marie Josephine (2013-06-29). Women and Revolution: Global Expressions. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-94-015-9072-3.
  13. Randall, Margaret (2015-09-02). Haydée Santamaría, Cuban Revolutionary: She Led by Transgression. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-7527-2.
  14. Program, Voice of America-Radio Marti; Policy, Office of Research and; Agency, United States Information (1991-01-01). Cuba 1988. Transaction Publishers. ISBN 978-0-88738-420-2.
  15. Samuel Farber (13 December 2011). Cuba Since the Revolution of 1959: A Critical Assessment. Haymarket Books. pp. 190–. ISBN 978-1-60846-166-0.
  16. "4 Cuban Revolutionaries Who Fought For Their Country, Women's Rights & A Better World". NADJA. 2016-08-02. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  17. Toro, Roberto Ortiz del. "Las Marianas: symbol of the courage and value of Cuban women". www.radioangulo.cu. Retrieved 2020-05-14.
  18. Jones, Meg. "Dickey Chapelle covered Castro, Cuban revolution". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-05-13.

Further reading
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