--- title: "15 American history Quotes By Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" description: "15 American history quotes by Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba. Plus more from Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba and more..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_for-a-few-years-after-leaving-cuba-marit_3163306.jpg" --- > [“For a few years after leaving Cuba, Marita was looked after and protected by a mobster named Ed Levi. It was his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-a-few-years-after-leaving-cuba-marita-was-looked-after-and/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_for-a-few-years-after-leaving-cuba-marit_3163306.jpg) > [“On November 27, 1493, when Columbus returned to Navidad, he found that the 39 crew members that he had left behind had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-november-27-1493-when-columbus-returned-to-navidad-he-found-that/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/943/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_america_on-november-27-1493-when-columbus-return_1668052.jpg) > [“On October 26, 1963, Nikita Khrushchev contacted President Kennedy and offered to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-contacted-president-kennedy-and/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-con_738309.jpg) > [“The name Camp Columbia came from a historic and rather poetic name for the United States. It was founded in 1898, for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-historic-and-rather-poetic-name/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-histo_1511679.jpg) > [“While under the Spanish flag, the Crown rigorously controlled the number of slaves allowed into Cuba and charged the settlers a 20%…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-rigorously-controlled-the/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-r_264084.jpg) > [“The United States became engaged in hostilities with North Vietnam on November 1, 1955, when President Eisenhower deployed the Military Assistance Advisory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-united-states-became-engaged-in-hostilities-with-north-vietnam-on/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-united-states-became-engaged-in-host_1237553.jpg) > [“On Thursday, February 19, 2015, two months after the United States and Cuba announced a willingness to re-establish normal diplomacy, after over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months-after-the-united-states-and/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months_2684227.jpg) > [“During the “Bay of Pigs Invasion” One Douglas “B-26” airplane with counterfeit Cuban markings was fired on and crashed into the sea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-douglas-b-26-airplane-with/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_air-force_during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-doug_1725252.jpg) > [“One of Castro’s first acts as Cuba’s Prime Minister was to go on a diplomatic tour that started on April 15, 1959.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-prime-minister-was-to-go-on-a/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-pri_2604269.jpg) > [“In the Cuban House of Representatives in 1955, Díaz-Balart spoke out against the amnesty granted to Castro by Batista. He went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in-1955-d-az-balart-spoke-out/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in_1238899.jpg) > [“Butch Cassidy and Harry A. Longabaugh, “the Sundance kid,” were holed up and then gunned down Sixty years prior to the death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the-sundance-kid-were-holed-up/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the_2619956.jpg) > [“A total of 779 prisoners have been held at Guantánamo since the facility was opened on January 11, 2002. Of those, 8…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held-at-guant-namo-since-the/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held_2364488.jpg) > [“General Gerardo Machado always had an eye for the ladies and enjoyed partying at the swankiest nightclubs in Havana. For a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-eye-for-the-ladies-and-enjoyed/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-ey_2958908.jpg) > [“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same time hide behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-ground-that-allows-them-to-vent/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_affordable-health-ca_for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-gr_194058.jpg) > [“The infamous Fray Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, who had sniveled around the Royal Court wanting to become a favorite of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c-ceres-who-had-sniveled-around/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c_1327978.jpg) ## Other authors on American history - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b023/author-tanehisi-coates-88839.jpg) Ta-Nehisi Coates 14 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/ta-nehisi-coates/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b005/author-barack-obama-16275.jpg) Barack Obama 8 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/barack-obama/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b018/author-noam-chomsky-71799.jpg) Noam Chomsky 7 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/noam-chomsky/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b021/author-rush-limbaugh-81741.jpg) Rush Limbaugh 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/rush-limbaugh/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b018/author-newt-gingrich-70900.jpg) Newt Gingrich 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/newt-gingrich/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b012/author-james-wyatt-46861.jpg) Jay Grewal 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/jay-grewal/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b001/author-james-t-patterson-3417.jpg) James T. Patterson 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/james-t-patterson/) - [ ![](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/uploads/sms4s/authors/processed/b011/author-henry-louis-gates-41603.jpg) Henry Louis Gates 5 quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/henry-louis-gates/) ## More by Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba > [“On November 2, 1899, eight members of the United States Navy were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for extraordinary heroism and service beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-november-2-1899-eight-members-of-the-united-states-navy-were/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same time hide behind the anonymity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-ground-that-allows-them-to-vent/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“Eight Bells: Robert J. Kane ‘55D died June 3, 2017, in Palm Harbor, Florida. He came to MMA by way of Boston College. Bob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/eight-bells-robert-j-kane-55d-died-june-3-2017-in-palm-harbor-florida/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“While under the Spanish flag, the Crown rigorously controlled the number of slaves allowed into Cuba and charged the settlers a 20% royalty for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-rigorously-controlled-the/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“Pope Alexander VI issued a Papal bull authorizing the Treaty of Tordesillas on June 7, 1494. The treaty gave everything located beyond 370 leagues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/pope-alexander-vi-issued-a-papal-bull-authorizing-the-treaty-of/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“During Castro’s tour to the United States, Canada and Latin America, everyone in Cuba listened intently to what he was saying. Fidel’s speeches, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/during-castro-s-tour-to-the-united-states-canada-and-latin-america/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“In 1933, Batista closely allied himself with the newly created, five-man Presidency of Cuba named “The Pentarchy.” Sergio Carbó y Morera, an influential member…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/in-1933-batista-closely-allied-himself-with-the-newly-created-five/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“In 1948 upon his return to Havana from Bogotá, Columbia, Castro, as well as others, spoke out against President Grau’s attempt to raise bus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/in-1948-upon-his-return-to-havana-from-bogot-columbia-castro-as-well/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“My comments are historical in nature and are not overtly political, although politics are directly responsible for the outcome of History.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/my-comments-are-historical-in-nature-and-are-not-overtly-political/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“Among other jobs that we did, my brother Bill and I were shoe shine boys in Jersey City and Hoboken during the World War…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/among-other-jobs-that-we-did-my-brother-bill-and-i-were-shoe-shine/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“On October 26, 1963, Nikita Khrushchev contacted President Kennedy and offered to remove the missiles from Cuba in exchange for a promise that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-contacted-president-kennedy-and/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“The Exciting Story of Cuba has been in demand more than I ever expected. I believe that this is partly because of the renewed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-exciting-story-of-cuba-has-been-in-demand-more-than-i-ever/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“When the Planters fled from Haiti, they established coffee farms or cafetales, as part of their newly formed Plantation. Generally, coffee profits were about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/when-the-planters-fled-from-haiti-they-established-coffee-farms-or/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“I can’t say enough about the wonderful people I met in Cuba and feel saddened that they are stuck in the 50’s because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/i-can-t-say-enough-about-the-wonderful-people-i-met-in-cuba-and-feel/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) > [“…the following day, after only six months in office, Manuel Urrutia Lleó resigned from the Presidency of Cuba, to which people in attendance started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-following-day-after-only-six-months-in-office-manuel-urrutia-lle/) [Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/#itemlist", "name": "15 American history Quotes By Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "numberOfItems": 15, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For a few years after leaving Cuba, Marita was looked after and protected by a mobster named Ed Levi. 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A day later on October 27th, Khrushchev sent a letter proposing that the Soviet Union would dismantle their missiles in Cuba, if the Americans reciprocated by removing their missile installations in Turkey. Although the cold war was far from over, both sides knowing how close they came from an all-out conflict, had a “hot line” installed between Washington and Moscow, hoping to prevent any similar situations in the future. The hot line is sometimes called the red telephone, even though it wasn’t even a telephone, nor was it red. The first connection was a teletype machine, after which a fax machine was used. In 1986, the hotline became a computer link and messages are now sent by email.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-contacted-president-kennedy-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-con_738309.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-con_738309.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d1/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-october-26-1963-nikita-khrushchev-con_738309.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On October 26, 1963, Nikita Khrushchev contacted President Kennedy and offered to remove the missiles from…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The name Camp Columbia came from a historic and rather poetic name for the United States. It was founded in 1898, for the purpose of housing U.S. Army troops during the provisional American protectorate over Cuba. It was also considered “the First American occupation of Cuba,” established in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War. After the withdrawal of American troops, the military establishment was turned over to the Cuban government and became the largest Cuban army base on the island. On September 4, 1933, at Camp Columbia, an army base in Havana, Batista with his inner circle of conspirators took over power as he forced a military coup. Labor leaders who had opposed Machado’s re-election, along with “The Student Directory” comprised of teachers as well as students, joined the sergeants in assuming control of the government. In this way, Batista turned the revolt within the military into the full-blown “Revolution of 1933.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-historic-and-rather-poetic-name/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-histo_1511679.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-histo_1511679.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94e/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-name-camp-columbia-came-from-a-histo_1511679.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The name Camp Columbia came from a historic and rather poetic name for the United States. It was founded in…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“While under the Spanish flag, the Crown rigorously controlled the number of slaves allowed into Cuba and charged the settlers a 20% royalty for each slave they imported. In 1537, Havana was invaded and briefly occupied by the French. On April 6, 1538, Hernando de Soto with about 950 men and horses on ten ships sailed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain to Santiago de Cuba where he took over as the Governor of Cuba. From Santiago, he sailed around Cuba to Havana with a nine-ship convoy and set up a base which was administered by his wife and used as a stepping-stone to Florida. Anticipating this expedition, he sent Juan de Añasco with two ships to find a suitable landing site along the west coast of Florida. Añasco, who was Hernando de Soto’s scout, returned with four Indians who told fabricated stories about gold in Florida, which De Soto accepted as true. After some months preparing for the expedition, De Soto left Cuba and arrived at Shaw’s Point near present-day Bradenton, Florida, where he started his long trek in search of gold and silver.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-rigorously-controlled-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-r_264084.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-r_264084.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d8/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_while-under-the-spanish-flag-the-crown-r_264084.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“While under the Spanish flag, the Crown rigorously controlled the number of slaves allowed into Cuba and…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The United States became engaged in hostilities with North Vietnam on November 1, 1955, when President Eisenhower deployed the Military Assistance Advisory Group as advisors to train the army of South Vietnam, better known as the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Things escalated in 1960, which was about the same time that Cuba established diplomatic relations with Vietnam, the communist country at war with the United States. In May of 1961 President Kennedy sent 400 United States Army Special Forces personnel to South Vietnam for the purpose of training South Vietnamese troops. By November of 1963 when he was killed, President Kennedy had increased the number of military personnel from the original 400 to 900 troops for training purposes. Direct U.S. intervention started with the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution in August of 1964. As things heated up, the number of American troops started including combat units and escalated to 16,000 troops, just before Kennedy’s death. During the early hours of April 30, 1975, the fighting ended abruptly, as South Vietnamese President Duong Van Minh delivered an unconditional surrender to the Communists. Between 195,000 to 430,000 South Vietnamese civilians died in the war and 50,000 to 65,000 North Vietnamese civilians died. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam lost somewhere between 171,331 and 220,357 men during the war. The Communist military forces lost approximately 444,000 men. It is estimated that between 200,000 and 300,000 Cambodians died and another 60,000 Laotians died during this war. In all 58,220 U.S. service members were killed. The last two American servicemen to die in Vietnam were killed during the evacuation of Saigon, when their helicopter crashed. After the United States pulled out of South Vietnam, the two sections of the country came together under Communist rule. Vietnam has since become Cuba’s largest trading partner next to China, and the United States has also returned to a normalized trade relationship with Vietnam.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-united-states-became-engaged-in-hostilities-with-north-vietnam-on/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-united-states-became-engaged-in-host_1237553.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-united-states-became-engaged-in-host_1237553.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/21d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-united-states-became-engaged-in-host_1237553.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The United States became engaged in hostilities with North Vietnam on November 1, 1955, when President…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“On Thursday, February 19, 2015, two months after the United States and Cuba announced a willingness to re-establish normal diplomacy, after over 5 decades of hostile relations, the United States House Minority leader and eight fellow Democratic Party lawmakers went to Havana to meet with the Cuban Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel. On February 27th, Cuban Foreign Ministry Director for North America, Josefina Vidal, and her delegation met at the State Department in Washington, D.C. Although most Cubans and many Americans have a positive view towards improving diplomatic relations, there are conservative legislators in both the U.S. House and Senate that have not joined in the promotion and necessary détente and good will in easing the normalization of relations between the two countries. On May 29, 2015, by Executive Order, President Obama took a first step by removing Cuba from the list of “State Sponsors of Terrorism.” Since then President Trump has been determined to overturn most of what has been passed by the former administration. On June 16, 2017 President Trump moved to reverse many of President Obama’s policies towards Cuba. According to the CATO Institute the alleged justification for this reversal is that it will pressure the Cuban government to make concessions on human rights and political policies towards the Island Nation. Apparently Trump’s new restrictions will impose limits on travel and how U.S. Companies will be able to do business in Cuba. Although the final say regarding the normalization between the two countries is in the hands of politicians representing their various constituencies. The United States has long worked and traded with other Communist nations. Recently additional pressure has been applied by corporations that, quite frankly, are fed up with the slowness of the process. The idea that everything hinges on the fact Cuba is a Communist country, run by a dictatorship, does not take into account the plight of the individual Cuban citizens. The United States may wish for a different government; however it is up to Cuba to decide what form of government they will eventually have.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months-after-the-united-states-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months_2684227.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months_2684227.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_on-thursday-february-19-2015-two-months_2684227.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On Thursday, February 19, 2015, two months after the United States and Cuba announced a willingness to…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“During the “Bay of Pigs Invasion” One Douglas “B-26” airplane with counterfeit Cuban markings was fired on and crashed into the sea about 30 miles north of the island. Another of these aircraft, which was also damaged but still air worthy, continued north and landed at Boca Chica Key Naval Air Station near Key West, Florida. The following day the crew was quickly flown to exile in Nicaragua. The United States government announced that the downed aircraft belonged to the Cuban air force and was manned by Cuban dissidents. In reply to this, Castro appeared on Cuban State television and denounced these claims. He put his military on high alert and directed defensive operations from the Cuban Military Headquarters, which had just been bombed by two of the masquerading airplanes. Fidel issued orders to detain anyone who was suspected of conspiracy or treason. Lists of these people had previously been prepared and were used to round up suspected dissenters. Within days, his overzealous police force and army incarcerated about 20,000 Cuban citizens, using whatever means were available, including a sports stadium. In a speech to the people, Fidel finally admitted to the public that his Movement was Socialistic. The Cuban Foreign Minister Raúl Roa García, successfully presented evidence at the United Nations, proving that the attacks were foreign in origin. Adlai Stevenson, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, replied that the United States had not participated in any action against Cuba. Ambassador Stevenson, knowing better, insisted that the aircraft that had landed in Miami had Cuban markings and therefore must have been of Cuban origin. Stevenson’s comments sounded contrived since the aircraft had Plexiglas noses, normally used as the bombardier’s station, whereas the actual Cuban B-26’s had solid noses with armament. It was obvious to the General Assembly that the United States Ambassador had been perpetrating an outright lie or, in diplomatic double talk, an untruth! It was an embarrassing moment that left the United States’ veracity open to ridicule”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-douglas-b-26-airplane-with/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_air-force_during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-doug_1725252.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_air-force_during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-doug_1725252.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a0/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_air-force_during-the-bay-of-pigs-invasion-one-doug_1725252.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“During the “Bay of Pigs Invasion” One Douglas “B-26” airplane with counterfeit Cuban markings was fired on…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One of Castro’s first acts as Cuba’s Prime Minister was to go on a diplomatic tour that started on April 15, 1959. His first stop was the United States, where he met with Vice President Nixon, after having been snubbed by President Eisenhower, who thought it more important to go golfing than to encourage friendly relations with a neighboring country. It seemed that the U.S. Administration did not take the new Cuban Prime Minister seriously after he showed up dressed in revolutionary garb. Delegating his Vice President to meet the new Cuban leader was an obvious rebuff. However, what was worse was that an instant dislike developed between the two men, when Fidel Castro met Vice President Richard Milhous Nixon. This dislike was amplified when Nixon openly badgered Castro with anti-communistic rhetoric. Once again, Castro explained that he was not a Communist and that he was with the West in the Cold War. However, during this period following the McCarthy era, Nixon was not listening. During Castro’s tour to the United States, Canada and Latin America, everyone in Cuba listened intently to what he had to say. Fidel’s speeches, that were shown on Cuban television, were troubling to Raúl and he feared that his brother was deviating from Cuba’s path towards communism. Becoming concerned by Fidel’s candid remarks, Raúl conferred with his close friend “Che” Guevara, and finally called Fidel about how he was being perceived in Cuba. Following this conversation, Raúl flew to Texas where he met with his brother Fidel in Houston. Raúl informed him that the Cuban press saw his diplomacy as a concession to the United States. The two brothers argued openly at the airport and again later at the posh Houston Shamrock Hotel, where they stayed. With the pressure on Fidel to embrace Communism he reluctantly agreed…. In time he whole heartily accepted Communism as the philosophy for the Cuban Government.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-prime-minister-was-to-go-on-a/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-pri_2604269.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-pri_2604269.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8de/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_one-of-castro-s-first-acts-as-cuba-s-pri_2604269.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“One of Castro’s first acts as Cuba’s Prime Minister was to go on a diplomatic tour that started on April 15…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 10, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In the Cuban House of Representatives in 1955, Díaz-Balart spoke out against the amnesty granted to Castro by Batista. He went on to become the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives and Minister of the Interior during the Batista administration. Although he was elected to the Cuban Senate in 1958, he was unable to take the seat due to Castro’s revolution. Fleeing Cuba, he moved to Spain becoming employed as an insurance company executive, before moving to Miami. In 1959, Díaz-Balart founded the first anti-Castro organization “La Rosa Blanca,” “The White Rose.” He was the father of former Republican U.S. Congressman Lincoln Díaz-Balart, of the 21st Congressional District in Florida. Lincoln Díaz-Balart and his immediate family were all Democrats, before switching their affiliation to the Republican Party. He was also father of the present Republican U.S. Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart of the new 25th Congressional District in Florida. He had two other sons, José Díaz-Balart, a TV news journalist with Telemundo and MSNBC, and Rafael Díaz-Balart, founder and CEO of Vestec International Corporation, a private banking and investment firm.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in-1955-d-az-balart-spoke-out/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in_1238899.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in_1238899.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ac/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_in-the-cuban-house-of-representatives-in_1238899.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In the Cuban House of Representatives in 1955, Díaz-Balart spoke out against the amnesty granted to Castro…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 11, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Butch Cassidy and Harry A. Longabaugh, “the Sundance kid,” were holed up and then gunned down Sixty years prior to the death of “Che” Guevara and high in the same Bolivian highlands, by the Bolivian army. It is thought that being mortally wounded one of them shot the other before shooting himself. Attempts to find any remains that match the DNA of living relatives, has so far failed. However, Butch Cassidy's sister, Lula Parker Betenson, maintained that her brother returned to the United States and lived in seclusion for years. In 1975, Red Fenwick, the feature writer and columnist at The Denver Post, stated that he was acquainted with Cassidy's physician, who continued to treat him for some years after he supposedly was killed in Bolivia. The likelihood of this account remains extremely doubtful. However, if it were true, Cassidy would certainly have died by now, and any opportunity to determine the truth would be difficult or perhaps even impossible. In addition, if true, it would raise the question of who the two men were that were killed by the Bolivian army…. The road between where the execution of “Che” Guevara took place and where Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid were shot to death, is called El rastro de muerte or “The Trail of Death!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the-sundance-kid-were-holed-up/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the_2619956.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the_2619956.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/638/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_butch-cassidy-and-harry-a-longabaugh-the_2619956.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Butch Cassidy and Harry A. Longabaugh, “the Sundance kid,” were holed up and then gunned down Sixty years…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 12, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A total of 779 prisoners have been held at Guantánamo since the facility was opened on January 11, 2002. Of those, 8 have died and 637 have been released or transferred. This left 134 inmates at Guantánamo at the end of 2014, however the number is constantly changing and as of January 2015 the official number of inmates remaining at the Guantánamo detention center was 127. Of these 127 detainees, 55 have been cleared for repatriation and are listed as being eligible to be transferred out. Some of the restrictions regarding the transferring of these prisoners have now been lifted, so they may be sent back to their home countries, provided those countries agree and are able to keep an eye on them. There are still problems regarding some of the more aggressive prisoners from countries that do not want them back. However, recently five of them were sent to the countries of Georgia and Slovakia. Another six detainees were flown to Uruguay over the weekend of December 6, 2014. There still remains a hard core of prisoners left incarcerated at the prison, for whom no release date or destination is scheduled. It is speculated that eventually some of them will come to the United States to face a federal court. Clifford Sloan, the U.S. State Department’s special envoy was tasked with closing the prison, said, “We are very grateful to Uruguay for this important humanitarian action, and to President José “Pepe” Mujica, for his strong leadership in providing a home for individuals who cannot return to their own countries.” Sloan added, “This transfer is a major milestone in our efforts to close the facility.” The question now is what will happen next under the Trump Administration? Presently there are still 41 men left, 15 of which are considered high value detainees. Five were to be moved out to cooperating countries during the Obama Administration but things happened too slowly and unfortunately they remained at Guantánamo. As of now the Trump plans are unclear, other than him saying that he wants to keep the detention center open and “load it up with some bad dudes.” Assuming that this happens, it is certain to bring on international protests!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held-at-guant-namo-since-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held_2364488.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held_2364488.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/52d/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_a-total-of-779-prisoners-have-been-held_2364488.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A total of 779 prisoners have been held at Guantánamo since the facility was opened on January 11, 2002. Of…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 13, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“General Gerardo Machado always had an eye for the ladies and enjoyed partying at the swankiest nightclubs in Havana. For a time he even owned his own club, which was the place for his political hacks to be seen. Machado was frequently there in the company of some of the most enticing ladies in the country. Through a combination of threats and bribery, he maintained control of the Army. In April of 1928 the Cuban Congress at the behest of Machado passed a law barring any presidential nominations by any party other than the Liberal, Conservative and Popular parties. Interestingly enough Machado declared himself the only legal candidate for those parties, and thus ran for a second term unopposed. Not only had he overspent money from the national treasury, but now he also alienated the Cuban public, who denounced him as an authoritarian nationalist and tyrant. Students, labor unions and intellectuals branded him an outright dictator. It was during this time that Marxist thinking was gaining strength throughout the world. The Communist philosophy was also becoming ever more popular among intellectuals, professors and students at the Universidad de La Havana. Realizing that he was now in danger of losing control, Machado made a power grab and declared Martial Law in Cuba. Intent on holding on to power, he became even more despotic than ever, creating a secret police known to the people as La Porra, meaning a big stick! As President, Machado became openly vindictive and did not hesitate to torture or even assassinate his foes in order to maintain tight sway over the Cuban population. With the Great Depression of 1928, things only got worse. The economy, which was single-sided, was extremely dependent upon sugar. Poverty was widespread, and even necessities all but disappeared, leaving the Cuban people destitute and in misery.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-eye-for-the-ladies-and-enjoyed/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-ey_2958908.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-ey_2958908.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/502/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_general-gerardo-machado-always-had-an-ey_2958908.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“General Gerardo Machado always had an eye for the ladies and enjoyed partying at the swankiest nightclubs in…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 14, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same time hide behind the anonymity of the social media. For others it has become a weapon to overwhelm their opponents by the weight of the number of comments sent to the originator of the blog or article. Fair or not, this method of cyber warfare works and could possibly change the course of history. A continuance of this cyber activity is still not totally understood by most bloggers, but certainly can be threatening and intimidating. Recently we have witnessed where foreign countries become involved in the attempt to rig elections by altering the mind set of those receiving overwhelming amounts of mostly altered news. This is certainly presently true in France. In Pakistan a student was murdered by his fellow students, simply because he had a difference of opinion. Art has become a victim of this form of attack, being accused of being a financial drain on the country’s economy whereas it, in all of its forms, is a stabilizer of civilization. Helping and feeding those less fortunate then ourselves also stabilizes a good society. On the opposite side of this topic a destabilizing activity is war, which cost us much more, however it does get us to alter our focus. It is the threat of nuclear annihilation that really gets our attention and may even eventually offer job opportunities to the survivors. I feel certain that the opposing sides of these issues are already marshaling their forces and stand fast to their beliefs. You would think that funding for the arts should be non-political, however I have found it to be a hot button issue, whereas going to war is accepted by an overwhelming majority of people, even before we attempt peaceful diplomatic negotiations. Building a wall separating us from Mexico is a great idea that is embraced by many who still believe that Mexico will eventually pay for it, but our “Affordable Health Care” must be thrown out! What will give our people more bang for the buck? An improved health care Bill or a Beautiful Wall? I’ve heard that Medicare and Social Security are things we can no longer afford, but it’s the same people who still believe that we can afford a nuclear war. These are issues that we can and should address, however I’ll just get back to my books and deal with the pro or anti Castro activists, or neo-Nazis, or whoever else wants to make a political statement. My next book “Seawater One….” will have some sex in it…. Perhaps we can all agree that, that’s a good thing or perhaps not.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-ground-that-allows-them-to-vent/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_affordable-health-ca_for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-gr_194058.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_affordable-health-ca_for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-gr_194058.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ea6/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_affordable-health-ca_for-some-politics-has-become-a-battle-gr_194058.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For some politics has become a battle ground that allows them to vent their frustrations, while at the same…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 15, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The infamous Fray Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, who had sniveled around the Royal Court wanting to become a favorite of the pious Queen Isabella, was appointed Governor of the Indies, replacing Francisco de Bobadilla, the man who had been responsible for sending Columbus from Hispaniola, back to Spain in irons. Prior to his appointment Fray Nicolás de Ovando had been a Spanish soldier, coming from a noble family, and was a Knight of the Order of Alcántara. On February 13, 1502, Fray Nicolás sailed from Spain with a record breaking fleet of thirty ships. Since Columbus’ discovery of the islands in the Caribbean, the number of Spanish ships that ventured west across the Atlantic had consistently increased. For reasons of safety in numbers, the ships usually made the transit in convoys, carrying nobility, public servants and conquistadors on the larger galleons that had a crew of 180 to 200. On these ships a total of 40 to 50 passengers had their own cabins midship. These ships carried paintings, finished furniture, fabric and, of course, gold on the return trip. The smaller vessels including the popular caravels had a crew of only 30, but carried as many people as they could fit in the cargo holds. Normally they would carry about 100 lesser public servants, soldiers, and settlers, along with farm animals and equipment, seeds, plant cuttings and diverse manufactured goods. For those that went before, European goods reminded them of home and were in great demand. Normally the ships would sail south along the sandy coast of the Sahara until they reached the Canary Islands, where they would stop for potable water and provisions before heading west with the trade winds. Even on a good voyage, they could count on burying a third of these adventurous at sea. Life was harsh and six to eight weeks out of sight of land, always took its toll! In all it is estimated that 30,500 colonists made that treacherous voyage over time. Most of them had been intentionally selected to promote Spanish interests and culture in the New World. Queen Isabella wanted to introduce Christianity into the West Indies, improve the islands economically and proliferate the Spanish and Christian influences in the region.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c-ceres-who-had-sniveled-around/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c_1327978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c_1327978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_the-infamous-fray-nicol-s-de-ovando-y-c_1327978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The infamous Fray Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, who had sniveled around the Royal Court wanting to become a…” — Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/", "name": "American history Quotes by Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-history/captain-hank-bracker-the-exciting-story-of-cuba/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c13/captain-hank-bracker-the-excit_american-history_for-a-few-years-after-leaving-cuba-marit_3163306.jpg" }, "description": "15 American history quotes by Captain Hank Bracker, The Exciting Story of Cuba. 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