Cold War #292 – Batista’s Bloodless Coup: Havana 1952 (Cuban Revolution #17)

In this episode of The Cold War, Cameron and Ray take us to Havana in 1952, when Fulgencio Batista staged a meticulously planned coup d’état. They walk through the midnight maneuvers at Camp Columbia, the arrest of generals, the swift control of communication hubs, and the apathy of the Cuban people after years of corruption. We see how Batista positioned himself as “the man” while suspending civil liberties, dissolving Congress, and reassuring both the Americans and local elites. Alongside this, Fidel Castro makes his first serious moves as a revolutionary—drafting a proclamation condemning Batista’s coup and beginning the trajectory that would define his life. The conversation ties Batista’s actions to lessons from Rome, Mussolini, and even contemporary American politics, blending history, irony, and sharp commentary.

You can listen to Cold War #292 – Batista’s Bloodless Coup: Havana 1952 (Cuban Revolution #17) online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Cold War #292 – Batista’s Bloodless Coup: Havana 1952 (Cuban Revolution #17) is an episode from Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast by Cameron Reilly & Ray Harris.

This episode is 15:17 long.

This episode was published on Sep 5, 2025.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Cam & Ray's Cold War Podcast when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.