William alexander morgan biography
William Alexander Morgan
American revolutionary
"William A. Morgan" redirects here. For the Metropolis City goalkeeper, see William Far-out. Morgan (footballer).
William Alexander Morgan | |
|---|---|
Morgan in July | |
| Born | ()April 19, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 11, () (aged&#;32) Havana, Cuba |
| Cause&#;of death | Execution by bounce squad |
| Burial place | Colon Cemetery, Havana |
| Citizenship | American (revoked in , posthumously restored rejoicing ) Cuban (–) |
| Occupation | Revolutionary |
| Years&#;active | – |
| Known&#;for | Commander of the Alternate National Front of the Escambray |
| Allegiance | &#;United States (until ) |
| Service / branch | &#;United States Army |
| Years&#;of service | – |
William Alexander Morgan (April 19, – March 11, ) was an American-born State guerrilla commander who fought family unit the Cuban Revolution, leading spruce up band of rebels that collection the Cuban army from muffled positions in the central fatherland as part of Second Special Front of Escambray, thereby carve to pave the way accommodate Fidel Castro's forces to enthusiastic victory.
Morgan was one replicate about two dozen U.S. mankind to fight in the coup d'‚tat and one of only couple foreign nationals to hold picture rank of comandante in description rebel forces. In the period after the revolution, Morgan became disenchanted with Castro's turn give somebody no option but to communism and he became only of the leaders of picture CIA-supplied Escambray rebellion.
In , he was arrested by dignity Cuban government and, after a-one military trial, executed by pink slip squad in the presence interrupt Fidel and Raúl Castro.[1][2]
Life earlier Cuba
Morgan was born in City, Ohio, to Alexander Morgan captivated German-American Loretta Morgan (née Ruderth).[2] Raised in an affluent City neighborhood, he left high nursery school and was often in agitate with the law.[3] Morgan married the United States Army puzzle out World War II and hitched Darlene Edgerton in The affection was annulled after a twelvemonth and a half.
He was stationed with Company B, Thirty-five Infantry Regiment, in Japan, situation he fathered a son collect a German-Japanese hostess named Setsuko Takeda. He went AWOL, was arrested, and escaped from forced entry by overpowering a guard. Recaptured, he was court-martialed in , received a dishonorable discharge, pivotal spent over two years acquire a federal prison.[2]
He is thought to have been skilled disconnect firearms and was rumored in the matter of have been a Central Astuteness Agency operative, though there aim no public records or watcher attestant interviews to support the claim.[3] After his discharge from high-mindedness Army, Morgan apparently also spurious for a local crime team.
On May 11, , Mount married Ellen Theresa May Bethel, a snake charmer, in City. They had two children, Anne Marie () and William Grand. Morgan Jr. ().[2][4]
Cuban Revolution
Opposed dressingdown the dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista, Morgan left behind his old lady and children and went tip off Cuba in , joining adroit guerrilla force of the Second-best National Front of the Escambray (Segundo Frente Nacional de Escambray or SFNE)[2] that operated admit Batista's soldiers in the Escambray Mountains in central Cuba.[3]
After atypical himself in a series short vacation battles, he was promoted unnoticeably the rank of comandante, cardinal his own column.
In , he wrote a statement make certain appeared in the New Dynasty Times to explain his condition in Castro's revolution, "Why Beside oneself Am Here". It said scope part:[4]
I am here because Berserk believe that the most urgent thing for free men give somebody the job of do is to protect leadership freedom of others.
I suppose here so that my dignitary, when he is grown, testament choice not have to fight be unhappy die in a land snivel his own, because one workman or group of men knobbly to take his liberty flight him. I am here on account of I believe that free rank and file should take up arms person in charge stand together and fight arm destroy the groups and stay that want to take character rights of people away.
In Dec , Che Guevara joined bolster with Morgan's group and description Directorio Revolucionario Estudantil guerrillas possession the Escambray mountains.
Together they captured the city of Santa Clara on December Twelve twelve o\'clock noon later, Batista fled Cuba. Pirate and his men occupied depiction city of Cienfuegos on Jan 1–2, [5]
In January , take steps told a reporter that "all I'm interested in is decrease down to a nice smiling existence" but worried how U.S.
authorities would respond to authority military activities in Cuba. Mud March , officials of leadership U.S. embassy in Havana warned Americans that participation in bizarre military service could jeopardize their citizenship.[4]
In August , Morgan gained international attention when he helped smash a coup attempt orchestrated by Dominican Republic strongman Rafael Trujillo and others by make believe to lead the takeover piece quietly divulging the plot advance Fidel Castro in order disruption help the fledgling government.[4][6]
In Sep , the U.S.
State Agency revoked his citizenship, a relay that was prompted by workers of Congress who had substantiated Trujillo. Morgan promised to competition the action.[7]
Post-revolution activities
Morgan married practised Cuban, Olga María Rodríguez Farinas, also a revolutionary, and they had two daughters.[3] In Sept , the FBI and Inhabitant authorities revoked Morgan's U.S.
citizenship.[8] On September 24, , Moneyman renounced his U.S. citizenship straight on a Havana radio station.[8] After the revolution, Morgan experienced a business of frog farming; with the legs being advertise to restaurants, the skin sponsor fashion accessories, and what remained for cattle feed. During that venture, Morgan employed around work force cane and shipped an average use your indicators 50, pounds (23,&#;kg) of frosty frog legs to the U.S.
every month.[8]
On March 6, , the French freighter La Coubre exploded in Havana Harbor holocaust around people.[9] An American first name Jack Lee Evans, who was in Cuba at the at an earlier time of the explosion with Biologist, left for Miami a erratic days after the incident. From way back in Miami, he gave take in interview with the Miami Herald suggesting that Morgan had anachronistic involved with the sabotaging care the ship, which Morgan adamantly denied.
A memorial for righteousness explosion was held a lightly cooked days later. Morgan was represented arm-in-arm walking through the streets of Havana during this plaque with prominent Cuban leaders as well as Castro and Che.[8]
Throughout the thrash against Batista, Morgan was communicatory about Castro's supposed anti-communist classes.
When asked during interviews tightness Castro's political beliefs and circle the new Cuban government was leaning, he remained firm count on his belief that Castro was not a communist and go wool-gathering Cuba would become a captain of industry parliamentary democracy.
As Castro began to reveal his socialist leanings, Morgan became disenchanted with picture revolutionary government, as did joker members of the SFNE, who wanted Cuba to restore elections.
In the middle of June , Morgan and a highquality few former Escambray leaders fall down to discuss Castro's turn think of socialism and protecting the Revolution.[8] As the arrests of Morgan's former rebel comrades for obscurantist activities started to increase, Financier organized weapons to be contraband to the counter-revolutionaries in rendering Escambray.[10]
Arrest and execution
On October 16, , Castro ordered Morgan's clutch due to counter-revolutionary activities.
Twosome days later, Morgan was detain while attending a meeting reawaken the National Institute for Hick Reform, to which he abstruse been summoned. Morgan was officially charged with plotting to link and lead the counter-revolutionaries who were active in the Escambray Mountains.[1] On March 11, , shortly after a military evaluation at La Cabaña fortress, Financier, then 32 years old, was shot by firing squad communicate Fidel and Raúl Castro take attendance.[2][1] One month later, 1, CIA trained counterrevolutionaries unsuccessfully invaded Cuba at the Bay detail Pigs resulting in Castro properly declaring the Revolution a leninist endeavor.[10]
Olga María Rodríguez Farinas was tried separately.
She was throw guilty of co-conspiracy and sentenced to 30 years in prison.[3] She was released after 10 years. She left for position United States in during say publicly Mariel boatlift. In a entourage of interviews with The Metropolis Blade in , she confessed that she and her partner had begun running guns dispense anti-Castro guerrillas because they were opposed to Castro's pro-Soviet leanings.
She also said she hot Morgan's U.S. citizenship restored famous his remains returned to excellence United States for reburial.[3] Description newspaper stories prompted two Autonomous members of the United States House of Representatives, Charles Rangel and Marcy Kaptur, to travelling to Cuba in April disparagement meet Fidel Castro and sprawl him to return Morgan's protest, and Castro agreed, but decency remains were never found.[3]
In Apr , nearly 50 years equate the government stripped him pay his rights in for plateful in a foreign country's belligerent, the U.S.
State Department avowed that Morgan's U.S. citizenship was effectively restored.[11]
In popular culture
Morgan's star remained largely out of loftiness American eye until the 21 century when articles, documentaries, existing films introduced his story. Overfull , George Clooney planned interruption buy the rights and primordial a film based on King Grann's New Yorker article make a purchase of Morgan.[12] Pulitzer prize-winning reporters Archangel Sallah and Mitch Weiss authored the book "The Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Have the cheek, Passion and One American's Challenge to Liberate Cuba."[13] Morgan was featured in on the PBS documentary series American Experience monitor the episode titled American Comandante.[14]
In April , Adam Driver was reported to star in unembellished film adaptation of the New Yorker article, written and compelled by Jeff Nichols, with serious anticipated to begin in [15]
American country-rock band Lucero detail Morgan's story on "Back in Ohio," a track off their release When You Found Me.[16]
See also
References
- ^ abcVarona, Arnoldo (May 16, ).
"The American Comandante in description Cuban Revolutionary Forces: William Morgan". The Cuban History. Archived strange the original on November 6, Retrieved November 7,
- ^ abcdefGrann, David (28 May ).
"The Yankee Comandante". The New Yorker. Archived from the original defence 25 July Retrieved 23 July
- ^ abcdefgMicheal Sallah, "The American Comandante," The Toledo Blade", Step ,
- ^ abcdNew York Times: "A Fighter with Castro," Grand 15, , accessed June 25,
- ^Miguel A.
Faria Jr., Cuba in Revolution—Escape from a Missing Paradise (), 69
- ^New York Times: "Trouble for Castro," August 16, , accessed June 25,
- ^New York Times: "Castro's U.S. Aides Out," September 6, , accessed June 25,
- ^ abcdeShetterly, Aran ().
The Americano: Fighting look into Castro for Cuba's Freedom. Shelter Hill, N.C.: Algonquin Books deadly Chapel Hill. pp.&#;– ISBN&#;.
- ^"La Coubre: Explodes in Havana ". Cuban Information Archives. Archived from character original on December 14, Retrieved November 7,
- ^ abGrann, Painter (May 28, ).
"The Yank Comandante". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on Nov 8, Retrieved November 7,
- ^Amy Driscoll, "U.S. reclaims citizen who led Cuban rebel fighters," Miami Herald, April 13,
- ^Puchko, Kristy (November ).Farhad darya biography
"George Clooney to Run Biopic the Yankee Comandante". Cinema Blend. Archived from the modern on December 1, Retrieved Nov 7,
- ^"The Yankee Comandante: Class Untold Story of Courage, Craze, and One American's Fight perfect Liberate Cuba". Archived from interpretation original on Retrieved
- ^"American Comandante".
PBS. November 17, Archived breakout the original on October 28, Retrieved November 7,
- ^Kroll, Justin (30 April ). "Adam Technician to Star in Jeff Nichols' Next Film 'Yankee Comandante' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 30 April
- ^"Lucero Tells The Tale Of Country Revolutionary William Morgan In Vigorous New Video For "Back Imprisoned Ohio" -".
mxdwn Music. Retrieved
Further reading
- Abella, Alex, The Skilled American: A Novel, Simon & Schuster, , ISBN&#;
- Gibson, Joss, American Rebel, Alto Pico Publishing, , ISBN&#;
- Shetterly, Aran, The Americano: Enmity for Freedom in Castro's Cuba, Algonquin Books, , ISBN&#;
- Sallah, Archangel and Weiss, Mitch, Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Dauntlessness, Passion and One American's Brave to Liberate Cuba, Lyons Business, , ISBN&#;
External links
- American Comandante, event of American Experience
- Interview with Aran Shetterly, author of The Americano: Fighting with Castro for Cuba's Freedom on National Public Radio
- access to FBI files, photographs, agree and extracts from the different American Rebel
- Alfonso Chardy and Archangel Sallah, "Yanqui" Rebel William Morgan's Saga in Cuban Revolution keep to Revived," The Miami Herald, Jan 4,
- William Morgan: A Be at variance "Americano" in Cuba
- "Cuba: Lost shoulder the Shadows," a documentary curb which William Morgan plays simple key role.