Chapter 1 The New Year (1)

Nuevitas, Cuba, Kingdom of Spain

De la Sierra Morena,

cielito lindo, vienen bajando,

Un par de ojitos negros,

cielito lindo, de contrabando.

Ay, ay, ay, ay,

Canta y no llores,

Porque cantando se alegran,

cielito lindo, los corazones.

Pájaro que abandona,

cielito lindo, su primer nido,

Si lo encuentra ocupado,

cielito lindo, bien merecido.

It is the first hour of the first day of the year 1989 in Cuba. The Spanish soldiers who had fought against the Cuban revolutionaries for months felt glad and peaceful for this day as they can relax from the war, most of the soldiers had relaxed for the first time. After the Spanish defeat at Dominguez, the Spanish troops are on full alert for any other counter-offensive that the revolutionaries would probably launch, making the soldiers fatigued and scared from being cautious at all times.

But everything changed with the arrival of the reinforcement from the Spanish mainland and the German and Mexican expeditionary force to Cuba. Most of the reinforcements were organized into several armies to launch an attack while the remaining are sent to different strategical locations near the frontline.

"Private Ardolf, fetch me another beer,"

"Yes sir!"

A drunk german military officer orders one of his men to get him some beer. It is already the officer's seventh beer and he is clearly drunk and wasted, but the soldiers around didn't reprimand or scold the officer as they are celebrating the new year. This is a new year, a day of celebration to greet the year with happiness and fervor. Everyone is merry and drunk as this might be one of the few peaceful days before they would be sent to the battlefield filled with carnage and death.

The Mexicans and Spanish soldiers together with the civilians are singing and dancing while the Germans watch the festivities while drinking beer and alcohol. The military higher-ups and officers allowed the men to enjoy this short break and respite as where they were stationed, Nuevitas, is far from the frontlines.

"General Otto, it is nice working with you."

"You too, General Pedro."

The two old men look at the men on the balcony overlooking the plaza where the men are having fun. As the highest-ranking officer in the area, they must maintain their rigid and discipline stance even in such festivities to make an example to the men. But it didn't stop them from having a drink as they also need to enjoy the break, maintaining the balance of duty and personal interest is a necessity of an officer. The two had talked about a lot of simple and small things like family and work.

"General Otto, look to the men in the plaza… if every man were as enthusiastic and motivated as these men below, then the war would have already been long ago." General Pedro talks to General Otto enthusiastically, trying to motivate and increase the morale of his fellow commander who is suddenly sent to Cuba as part of the German support for Spain and feels betrayed and less enthusiastic about his deployment of what he considered a primitive and hell-hole country. He also wants to build some good rapport with the German General for smooth and efficient cooperation between their forces who brought better-equipped and motivated German troops even if they were few in numbers.

"You are right General. With the well-trained and equipped men in our ranks, those Cuban rabbles would not stand a chance and we can immediately crush the rebellion once and for all." General Otto not been so fond of staying in Spanish Cuba for a long time, agrees with the statement of the Spanish General. Defeating and ending the Cuban revolution would be the best course of action in order for him to leave the place he considered barbaric and horrible. He thinks that he would not gain glory and honor by fighting such primitive and barbaric people.

As part of the strongest military force in the world, General Otto is filled with pride and he believes that he should be fighting against proper armies and not rebels and rabble mobs. The Cuban revolutionaries for General Otto are just a disorderly mob and can be easily squashed and he is slightly irritated and contemptuous of the incompetence of the Spanish army in prolonging the conflict. He believes in European supremacy, that they are the superior and civilized race, and that it is their duty to rule and manage the entire world.

General Pedro did notice the contempt and looking down of the German General on him and his men, but he just let it slide to not sour relations with his German allies. The two generals know that they need to maintain a friendly façade with each other in order to achieve each of their goals. They hope that the revolution would end sooner so that both of them can leave the island of Cuba.

Totally opposite to the relationship between their higher-ups, the normal soldiers are genuinely happy and had a good relationship with each other, even the Spanish and Mexican soldiers who were once the colonizer and the colonized. The arrival of the German and Mexican soldiers raise the morale of the weary Spanish troops and motivate them to continue the fight. Celebrating the new year and the arrival of the reinforcement made the Spanish regain their confidence and morale in continuing the conflict.

Aside from the soldiers who are celebrating new year's day, there are also civilians and citizens of the Nuevitas who are participating in the celebration. Pure-blooded Spanish, mixed-blood Spanish, and Cuban natives who are still loyal to the Spanish crown and remain in Nuevitas all partake in the new year festivities. The celebration is so surreal that it seems like the war that is happening is an illusion.

It can be seen that the majority of the people in Cuba are not supportive of the Cuban fight for independence as most of the people are still loyal and support the Spanish government. There are even a lot of Cubans who enlisted and served in the Spanish military or assembled local militias that assisted the Spanish forces. They see the revolutionaries as terrorists and insurgents and are a threat to the peace and order in their lives.

The people believes that it would be better to be under the rule of the Kingdom of Spain, which is a strong world power allied with Germany rather than to be a weak independent nation that is vulnerable to other nations near Cuba like Mexico and the United States. But no matter how many people are in support of Spain, there would be always some people who are against it and they are lurking in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.

** ** **

"General, the men are all prepared."

"Good… what is the situation inside Nuevitas?"

A few hundred meters away from Nuevitas, a large number of men are lurking and waiting for something. All of the men are fully armed and are ready for any orders from their General. These men were part of the Cuban revolutionary forces and they are posing to surprise attack Nuevitas and defeat the men guarding it. These men were led by Cuban General Jose Gomez who also lead the Cuban revolutionary forces to victory in the Battle of Dominguez a few days ago.

"Everything you had predicted General had happened. A lot of the soldiers in Nuevitas are drunk and unprepared, the security is lax and almost non-existent… General if we attack now, we can achieve total surprise and capture Nuevitas with fewer casualties," the young man talking with General Gomez is confident that they could achieve victory with this attack.

He personally went inside and check the current situation and is able to conclude that the enemy defenses are weak due to celebrating the new year and the enemy forces are unable to mount a proper defense due to being intoxicated and drinking alcohol. This would be the most opportune moment to strike the enemy, and the morale of their men is high as the victory in Dominguez boost their morale and confidence that with proper strategy and tactics, even the professional armies from the West can be defeated.

All the thousand men present under General Gomez's command are all veterans of the Battle in Dominguez and many more and are all loyal to the General who led them to all of these battles.

General Gomez weighs everything the young officer had reported to him, whether it is time for a strike or wait for a few more minutes. The time he gives the order and everything can't be retracted anymore. This would be the gamble to achieve the best result to keep the revolutionary fervor alive. This is just one of the many strikes that the Cuban revolutionary forces would launch in their new year's offensive but capturing Nuevitas is important for this would provide port and sea access for the revolutionary forces.

"What time is it on your pocket watch?"

"One-eleven after midnight General."

General Gomez points to the pocket watch that the young officer is holding. The officer then also responds to the General, expecting a positive order of attack, and he is right, the General decided to launch the attack as the opportunity might be missed which would make the operation harder or fail.

"Pass to other officers… we would attack exactly One-thirty after midnight. Tell them to prepare everything essential to the operation."

"Yes General!"

The young officer then immediately salute and left General Gomez to spread the command to his fellow officers and soldiers who are bursting with confidence and morale for a swift victory. General Gomez can only sigh and look at his men who are ready and filled with vigor for the upcoming attack, he wished that this war would end sooner and these young men could survive and live a longer life in peace.

** ** ** ** **

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