Beginning of the struggle
The strong subjection of Nicaragua and its population to the wishes of Somoza and his private army resulted in the creation of a military movement in 1962 that intended to defeat the dictatorship. The movement was named after Sandino and this is how the “Sandinista National Liberation Front” (Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional –FSLN) was born, founded by a group of intellectuals and volunteers led by the young Carlos Fonseca.
The beginning of this organization was tough, due to the inequality in combat. Its first military action ended in a massacre because the group was surrounded by the National Guard and the Honduran army at the national border in the department of Jinotega, a place that used to be the setting of numerous battles directed by Sandino against North American marines.
In spite of the initial defeat, the FSLN did not succumb. Some peasants, students and even big landowners joined in an active form or as accomplices. As time went by, the “anti-somocista” ideology began to embrace revolutionary views while increasing military power and propaganda efforts to build a sense of consciousness in the working sectors, universities and schools. Even though the guerilla was pushed back to the mountains due to the National Guard’s force, the mere existence of this opposition army made the gradual involvement of more and more people possible.
Somoza still was completely in control. The guerrilla actions in urban and rural zones were repelled and in 1967 a second organized move was knocked down after several combats in the northern region of the country. The remnant Sandinistas were forced to disperse in much more remote areas.
Nevertheless, the movement did not die. In 1969, a small group of battlers hidden in a house in Managua was discovered by the National Guard, and a battle took place almost as if it was a movie scene. Three hundred soldiers, tanks and planes were sent to destroy the hidden guerrillas. The battle lasted several hours until there was no more answer to the attack. When soldiers entered the house seeking for bodies they realized that the entire combat was fought by a single young man, Julio Buitrago, who stayed inside the house so that his partners could escape.
Somoza showed the battle on TV to demonstrate the FSLN’s destruction, but the heroic action of a single man turned the entire situation around and the population was moved by the event and identified themselves even more with the revolutionary movement. Other unequal battles took place in several cities.
Continuous and diversified actions of the guerrillas at several points of the country provoked a strong repression by the National Guard. Through threats, tortures and spying the National Guard achieved the apprehension or annihilation of collaborators, clandestine groups and guerrilla leaders who were dispersed in mountains and cities. Then, in 1970, the FSLN started with a so-called period of “accumulation of forces in silence”, during which they reduced their attacks to a minimum and focused their concentration at strengthening the organization, its incidence in the different sectors, the military preparation of its members and the compilation of war resources and those of other nature.
Four years later, the movement initiated public combat. They organized attacks all over the country. Furthermore, an urban action with high political value took place in the house of an aristocrat, Jose María Castillo, Somoza’s friend, who organized an elite party. Here, the guerillas entered the house and kidnapped several diplomats and government officials. The National Guard could not attack, so they decided to accept demands, including the publication of a manifesto, the liberty of political prisoners and a monetary reward. Battlers also negotiated their flight out of the country.
Somoza declared a state of siege and started an indiscriminate repression against collaborators or against any suspect. The following years were of strong combats in cities and rural areas; more and more people were getting involved with the guerilla.
In 1976 the highest leader of the FSLN, Carlos Fonseca, was unexpectedly killed. Another leader, Eduardo Contreras (who directed the assault against Castillo’s house), was also murdered. After these killings, the FSLN was divided in three tendencies that continued their fight independently: FSLN Proletario (Proletarian FSLN), FSLN Guerra Popular Prolongada (Prolonged Popular War FSLN), and FSLN Insurreccional (Insurrectionist FSLN).
At the end of the following year one of the tendencies – the FSLN Insurrectionist – organized a strong urban offense with direct attacks to all National Guard barracks in various cities. At the beginning, the majority of the actions were successful but Somoza’s army superiority moved the balance around. Nevertheless, that same year a public manifesto of “Grupo de los Doce” (Group of The Twelve) encouraged the support of the battle against the dictatorship. This group was formed by twelve civil personages who were exiled by Somoza.
The following year, in 1978, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, director of the national newspaper La Prensa (directly opposing Anastasio Somoza Debayle), was murdered. This action was attributed to the dictator and the capital city’s population protested. Moreover, this caused a more expressive hate of the national business class.
This same year, a month later, an insurrection started at the local indigenous neighborhood Monimbó in Masaya. At this time, the world had more interest in the Nicaraguan conflict. Interest was intensified when in August a guerilla commando of the FSLN Insurrectionist took over the National Palace in Managua (where the Congress gathered), kidnapping congressmen and senators. Again, the dictatorship had no other choice than to accept demands: liberate prisoners, publish a revolutionary note and allow the departure of the commando.
Nevertheless, the movement did not die. In 1969, a small group of battlers hidden in a house in Managua was discovered by the National Guard, and a battle took place almost as if it was a movie scene. Three hundred soldiers, tanks and planes were sent to destroy the hidden guerrillas. The battle lasted several hours until there was no more answer to the attack. When soldiers entered the house seeking for bodies they realized that the entire combat was fought by a single young man, Julio Buitrago, who stayed inside the house so that his partners could escape.
Somoza showed the battle on TV to demonstrate the FSLN’s destruction, but the heroic action of a single man turned the entire situation around and the population was moved by the event and identified themselves even more with the revolutionary movement. Other unequal battles took place in several cities.
Continuous and diversified actions of the guerrillas at several points of the country provoked a strong repression by the National Guard. Through threats, tortures and spying the National Guard achieved the apprehension or annihilation of collaborators, clandestine groups and guerrilla leaders who were dispersed in mountains and cities. Then, in 1970, the FSLN started with a so-called period of “accumulation of forces in silence”, during which they reduced their attacks to a minimum and focused their concentration at strengthening the organization, its incidence in the different sectors, the military preparation of its members and the compilation of war resources and those of other nature.
Four years later, the movement initiated public combat. They organized attacks all over the country. Furthermore, an urban action with high political value took place in the house of an aristocrat, Jose María Castillo, Somoza’s friend, who organized an elite party. Here, the guerillas entered the house and kidnapped several diplomats and government officials. The National Guard could not attack, so they decided to accept demands, including the publication of a manifesto, the liberty of political prisoners and a monetary reward. Battlers also negotiated their flight out of the country.
Somoza declared a state of siege and started an indiscriminate repression against collaborators or against any suspect. The following years were of strong combats in cities and rural areas; more and more people were getting involved with the guerilla.
In 1976 the highest leader of the FSLN, Carlos Fonseca, was unexpectedly killed. Another leader, Eduardo Contreras (who directed the assault against Castillo’s house), was also murdered. After these killings, the FSLN was divided in three tendencies that continued their fight independently: FSLN Proletario (Proletarian FSLN), FSLN Guerra Popular Prolongada (Prolonged Popular War FSLN), and FSLN Insurreccional (Insurrectionist FSLN).
At the end of the following year one of the tendencies – the FSLN Insurrectionist – organized a strong urban offense with direct attacks to all National Guard barracks in various cities. At the beginning, the majority of the actions were successful but Somoza’s army superiority moved the balance around. Nevertheless, that same year a public manifesto of “Grupo de los Doce” (Group of The Twelve) encouraged the support of the battle against the dictatorship. This group was formed by twelve civil personages who were exiled by Somoza.
The following year, in 1978, Pedro Joaquín Chamorro, director of the national newspaper La Prensa (directly opposing Anastasio Somoza Debayle), was murdered. This action was attributed to the dictator and the capital city’s population protested. Moreover, this caused a more expressive hate of the national business class.
This same year, a month later, an insurrection started at the local indigenous neighborhood Monimbó in Masaya. At this time, the world had more interest in the Nicaraguan conflict. Interest was intensified when in August a guerilla commando of the FSLN Insurrectionist took over the National Palace in Managua (where the Congress gathered), kidnapping congressmen and senators. Again, the dictatorship had no other choice than to accept demands: liberate prisoners, publish a revolutionary note and allow the departure of the commando.
