Atlas of Battles

battle, notable, Cold War

Attack on the Moncada Barracks

Attack on the Moncada Barracks was a battle fought on 26 July 1953 at Moncada Barracks, in what is now Cuba. It was part of the Cuban Revolution. The recorded result: Government victory; Rebels forced to retreat. Recorded strength: 400 against 136; (additional 24 in Bayamo).

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Bullet holes in the Moncada Barracks after the 1953 attack.
Bullet holes in the Moncada Barracks after the 1953 attack.. Unknown authorUnknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought26 July 1953
WhereMoncada Barracks, Cuba20.026N, 75.819W
OutcomeGovernment victory; Rebels forced to retreat
BelligerentsCuba Republic of CubaagainstThe Movement; Partido Ortodoxo
Part ofCuban Revolution1953

Where it sits in the Cuban Revolution

Attack on the Moncada Barracks, 1953Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Barracks Attack, 1953, 19531956 Cuartel Domingo Goicuría assault, 1956Battle of Alegría de Pío, 1956Battle of La Plata, 1957Battle of Guisa, 1958Battle of Yaguajay, 1958Battle of Santa Clara, 195819531958Attack on the Moncada Barracks, 1953
8 placed engagements of the Cuban Revolution in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date26 July 1953
PlaceMoncada Barracks, Cuba
20.026N, 75.819W
KindBattle, Cold War
Strength400136; (additional 24 in Bayamo)
Casualties and losses19 killed (1 in Bayamo); 30 wounded (2 in Bayamo)61 killed (10 executed in Bayamo); 57 prosecuted (6 in absentia)
Commanders
  • Alberto del Rio Chaviano
  • Fidel Castro
  • Abel Santamaría
Attack on the Moncada BarracksAttack on the Moncada BarracksSiege of SantiagoBattle of San Juan HillBattle of El CaneyBattle of Santiago de CubaBattle of Santiago de CubaBattle of El CaneyBattle of Santiago de CubaHolguínLas TunasBayamoManzanilloBanes100 km20.026N, 75.819W
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 4 times between 1898 and 1953.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1953

Attack on the Moncada Barracks is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 61 in present-day Cuba.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q11211553, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Attack on the Moncada Barracks, revision 1383074048, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.