Cuban Revolution

[cosmic]

Was thinking of putting together a loadout based on the Cuban revolution, so thats late 50's. Need some advice.

 

I was thinking for your regular guerrilla fighter the basic clothes would be a mish mash of civilian clothes. For a more 'official' look i was checking out some photos of Mr Guevara. Can someone tell me what fatigues him and the other guys are wearing in these photos? i was thinking maybe they're old US issue?

 

Cheers

 

[sigma3]

I can't answer your questions, but HIGHLY recommend you check out Soderbergh's CHE: PART ONE if you haven't. Tons of excellent coverage of the actual battles and kit. Some really interesting combinations of gear and weapons being used.

[ninja master of coffee]

I'd be interesting in a similar loadout myself and like you ran into a general lack of info on the subject. I'd guess they used a combination of US WW2 gear (webbing certainly), home made stuff and of course just civilian clothing if nothing else is available. As well as Che part 1 look into Che's own manual on guerilla warfare as it goes into the gear a bit in that (not big details, it was a practical guide written at the time but it gives some general ideas about clothing and equipment). I get the impression that Che is wearing some US HBT olive drabs. These were lightweight garments generally warn over the wool shirts and trouser US infantry wore in WW2 in europe. They were lightweight so that would fit the tropical theatre and I imagine available in abundance in the late 50's. Remember that Che and co started out from Mexico so that's where they sourced the gear at the beggining (weapons, clothes, equipment), it's why they were mostly armed with thompsons, M1 garands, M1 and M2 carbines and springfield rifles (though later on they got hold of the odd FAL). AS I say, this is just what I'm guessing rather than gospel. Good luck to you, companiero!

[kroot]

Good call Cosmic.

Couple of us are going down the a symilar route.

 

Yay time for a 'bay of pigs' game!

[pjones]

How about a Brigade 2506 loadout? M1 Garand, USMC camouflage jungle utilities, M56 web gear...

[Azulsky]

Food for thought. Here's a piece from Guerrilla Warfare by Che Guevara regarding the personal loadout for a partisan. I thought it might interest some folks.

 

 

"The equipment of the guerrilla fighter is divided into the essential and the accessory. Among the first is a hammock. This provides adequate rest; it is easy to find two trees from which it can be strung; and, in cases where one sleeps on the ground, it can serve as a mattress. Whenever it is raining or the ground is wet,a frequent occurence in tropical mountain zones, the hammock is indispensable for sleeping. A piece of waterproof nylon cloth is its complement. The nylon should be large enough to cover the hammock when tied from its four corners, and with a line strung through the center to the same trees from which the hammock hangs. This last line serves to make the nylon into a kind of tent by raising a center ridge and causing it to shed water.

 

"A blanket is indispensable, because it is cold in the mountains at night. It is also necessary to carry a garment such as a jacket or coat which will enable one to bear the extreme changes of temperature. Clothing should consist of rough work trousers and shirt, which may or may not be of a uniform cloth. Shoes should be of the best possible construction and also, since without good shoes marches are very difficult, they should be one of the first articles laid up in reserve.

 

"Since the guerrilla fighter carries his house in his knapsack, the latter is very important. The more primitive types may be made from any kind of sack carried by two ropes; but those of canvas found in the market or made by a harness maker are preferable. The guerilla fighter ought always to carry some personal food besides that which the troop carries or consumes in its camps. Indispensable articles are: lard or oil, which is necessary for fat consumption; canned goods, which should not be consumed except in circumstances where food for cooking cannot be found or when there are too many cans and their weight impedes the march; preserved fish, which has great nutritional value; condensed milk, which is also nourishing, particularily on account of the large quantity of sugar it contains; some sweet for its good taste. Powdered milk can also be carried. Sugar is another essential part of the supplies, as is salt, without which life becomes sheer martyrdom, and something that serves to season the meals, such as onion, garlic, etc., according to the characteristics of the country. This completes the category of the essentials.

 

"The guerrilla fighter should carry a plate, knife, and fork, camping style, which will serve all the various necessary functions. The plate can be camping or military type or a pan that is usable for cooking anything from a piece meat to a "malanga" or a potato, or for brewing tea or coffee.

 

"To care for the rifle, special greases are necessary; and these must be carefully administered- sewing machine oil is very good if there is no special oil available. Also needed are cloths that will serve for cleaning the arms frequently and a rod for cleaning the gun inside, something that ought to be done often. The ammunition belt can be of commercial type or homemade, according to the circumstances, but it ought to be so made that not a single bullet will be lost. Ammunition is the basis of the fight without which everything else would be in vain; it must be cared for like gold.

 

"A canteen or a bottle for water is essential, since it will frequently be necessary to drink in a situation where water is not available. Among medicines, those of general use should be carried: for example,penicillin or some other type of antibiotic, preferably the type taken orally,carefully closed; medicines for lowering fever, such as aspirin; and others adapted to treating the endemic diseases of the area. These may be tablets against malaria, sulfas for diarrhea, medicines against parasites of all types; in other words, fit the medicine to the characteristics of the region. It is advisable in places where there are poisonous(sic) animals to carry appropriate injections. Surgical instruments will complete the medical equipment. Small personal items for taking care of less important injuries should also be included.

 

"A customary and extremely important comfort in the life of the guerrilla fighter is a smoke, whether cigars, cigarrettes, or pipe tobacco; a smoke in moments of rest is a great friend to the solitary soldier. Pipes are useful, because they permit using to the extreme all tobacco that remains in the butts of cigars and cigarrettes at time of scarcity. Matches are extremely important, not only for lighting a smoke, but also for starting fires; this is one of the great problems in the forest in rainy periods. It is prefferable to carry both matches and a lighter, so that if the lighter runs out of fuel, matches remain as a substitute.

 

"Soap should be carried, not only for personal cleanliness, but for washing eating utensils, because intestinal infections or irritations are frequent and can be caused by spoiled food left on dirty cooking ware. With this set of equipment, the guerrilla fighter can be assured that he will be able to live in the forest under adverse conditions, no matter how bad, for as long as is necessary to dominate the situation.

 

"There are accessories that at times are useful and others that constitute a bother but are very useful. The compass is one of these; at the outset this will be used a great deal in gaining orientation, but little by little knowledge of the country will make it unnecessary. In mountainous regions a compass is not of much use, since the route it indicates will usually be cut off by impassable obstacles. Another useful article is an extra nylon cloth for covering all equipment when it rains. Remember that rain in tropical countries is continuous during certain months and that water is the enemy or all the things that the guerrilla fighter must carry: food, ammunition, medicine, paper, and clothing.

 

"A change of clothing can be carried, but this is usually a mark of inexperience. The usual custom is to carry no more than an extra pair of pants, eliminating extra underwear and other articles, such as towels. The life of the guerrilla fighter teaches him to conserve his energy in carrying his knapsack from one place to another, and he will, little by little, get rid of everything that does not have essential value.

 

"In addition to a piece of soap, useful for washing utensils as well as for personal cleanliness, a toothbrush and paste should be carried. It is worthwhile also to carry a book, which will be exchanged with other members or the band. These books can be good biographies of past heroes, histories, or economic geographies, preferably of the country, and works of general character that will serve to raise the cultural level of the soldiers and discourage the tendency towards gambling or other undesirable forms of passing the time. There are periods of boredom in the life of the guerrilla fighter.

 

"Whenever there is extra space in the knapsack, it ought to be used for food, except in those zones where the food supply is easy and sure. Sweets or food of lesser importance complementing the basic items can be carried. Crackers can be one of these, although they occupy a large space and break up into crumbs. In thick forests a machete is useful; in very wet places a small bottle of gasoline or light resinous wood, such as pine, for kindling will make firebuidling easier when the wood is wet.

 

"A small notebook and pen or pencil for taking notes and for letters to the outside or communication with other guerrilla bands ought always to be part of the guerrilla fighter's equipment. Pieces of string or rope should be kept available; these have many uses. Also needles, thread, and buttons for clothing. The guerrilla fighter who carries this equipment will have a solid house on his back, rather heavy but furnished to assure a comfortable life during the hardships of the campaign."

[slick63]

Ninja is correct, the clothing is US WW2 HBT pattern, although for airsoft you could probably use a pair of Brit lightweights and a GS shirt for a cheaper option, along with some high leg or double buckle boots, US web belt, black beret or olive peak cap.

Weapons were primarily US Garands, .30 carbines, Thompsons, .30 cal MG`s along with civilian hunting rifles, shotguns and some .30 Cristobal carbines.

If you go so far as a rucksack it would probably have been something along the lines of a period US mountain ruck.

And for snacks don`t forget the barbecued monkey as related in the Bolivian diary.

[ninja master of coffee]

Well I might be going for something Cuban revolutionish next summer. The old west german OD shirts should be a reasonable substitute (I recently got three for free, one is pretty faded out) I have some dutch OG trousers too and should be getting a pair of high leg boots soon. Whether I'll use this for a Cuban or Sandinista look I am not sure. I'd really like to get some HBTs and an M1 carbine some day and do a proper Che impression but lack of money prevents this (I do already have the beard mind!)

[luclucas]

I'm thinking it wouldn't be all to wrong to use a pair of WWII US paratrooper boots for a cuban revolutionary. As it is, i happen to have a pair lying around.

[ninja master of coffee]

I've certainly never seen a picture with them in. That's not to say they were never used and they would be correct for the period. The only issue I can see is the jump boots had an odd deep red colour rather than black which might just confuse people as to what you're doing an impression of. I think one of the main things to remember is that the kit needs to look worn, a large part of it was surplus kit and then it was worn in the jungle for years. One thing Che notes in Guerilla Warfare is one of the very first thing to set up is a decent boots supply, I believe he ended up with small factories in the Sierra Miestra actually making them (quite appart from the normal idea of a guerilla camp being messy and disorganized, Che's camps tended to be immaculately ordered with workshops, medical stations, armouries, canteens, I seem to recall he also made sure everyone had something to read to alliviate bordom.)

[luclucas]

The redness in the jumpboots will tone down after use, actually i would say they are more brownish. But what boots did the guerillas use? I'm guessing they used US surplus in the start.

[ninja master of coffee]

Most likely yes, finding clear pictures taken during the actual war with Batista's army is difficult (they were in the jungle after all) so most clearish reference pictures of boots are taken after that (including those above). In terms of appearance the jump boots look the most similar of the US WW2 boots. To be honest I'd say go with anything that looks like a reasonably classic army boot, in all likelyhood the majority of the boots seen would have been copies manufactured in Cuba both during and after the war (either by Batista's lot or the revolutionaries.) Now I just need to get a pair of high leg boots!