Revolutionary Triumph
A year later, in 1979, several battle settings were organized all over the country. The Somoza dictatorship made their attacks against the guerrilla stronger, affecting the entire population. Bomb attacks were undiscriminating; bombs were thrown over houses in cities where the National Guard was being attacked.
In March, the three tendencies concluded a unification agreement creating, in this way, a single FSLN, motivating the entire population to start an attack at the end of June. In fact, it was in June when the guerrilla moved all its combatants in order to gather in Managua. Moreover, a general strike was organized with the participation of workers and even businessmen, an indicator of hate of the dictatorship.
Again, there was an insurrection in several departments and cities. Somoza organized a powerful attack against those cities, killing many civilians. Nevertheless, the FSLN, supported by the entire population, could not be stopped. One by one, each city was liberated from Somoza’s control.
Somoza’s previous ally, the United States, started to see him with bad eyes, just as the general international opinion. The US opinion deteriorated when a North American journalist was murdered. Even though the dictator tried to accuse the guerillas, another reporter had recorded the event. The government of the United States asked Somoza to step down from power before a public downfall, in order to avoid a new revolutionary government.
However, Somoza tried to defeat the national rebellion. It was impossible. On July 17, Somoza, his collaborators, and leaders of the National Guard left the country, taking a huge fortune with them. A Somoza supporter, Francisco Urcuyo, headed the presidency and asked the Sandinistas to stop attacks. His government lasted only 24 hours, after which he abandoned the country. The National Guard finally surrendered. Somoza, who first left to the United States and then settled in Paraguay, was murdered in 1980 by an Argentinean guerrilla commando called “Montoneros”.
On July 19, 1979, thousands of guerillas and civilians entered the Plaza de la Republica, in the old center of Managua, where the whole population celebrated the definite fall of the Somoza dynasty. It was a national celebration and the opportunity to create a new Nicaragua.
