Latin America@War №15 - Nicaragua 1961-1990, Vol. 2. The Contra War (2019).pdf

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Published by Helion & Company 2019
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2019
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CONTENTS
Abbreviations
Addenda/Errata to
Latin America@War 9: Nicaragua 1961-1990, the
Downfall of the Somoza Dictatorship
Introduction
1 The Nicaraguan Sandinistas
2 The Sandinista Forces
3 The Birth of the Contras (1980-1982)
4 The Undeclared War of the Reagan Administration (1981-1982)
5 Grenada 1983 – Nicaragua 1984
6 The Sandinista Counter-Offensive (1985-1986)
7 Between War and Peace (1986-1988)
8 The Long Road to Peace (1988-1990)
Selected Bibliography
Notes
Acknowledgements
Author
2
2
4
6
10
21
27
34
41
50
61
66
67
72
72
LATIN AMERICA@WAR VOLUME 15
ABBREVIATIONS
ACE
AMNLAE
APP
ARDE
ARDEN
BLC
BLI
BOS
CDS
CIA
COIN
CONDECA
Col
COSEP
ENABAS
EPS
FAL
FDN
FAS-DAA
FDN
FSLN
GDR
Gen
GN
HQ
Amalgamated Commercial Enterprises
Asociación de Mujeres Nicaragüenes Luisa Amanda
Espinoza
(Luisa Amanda Espinoza Association of
Nicaraguan Women )
Area de Propriedad del Pueblo
(People’s Property
Area)
Alianza Revolucionaria Democratica
(Democratic
Revolutionary Alliance)
Alianza Democrática Revolucionaria Nicaragüense
(Nicaraguan Democratic
Revolutionary
Alliance)
Batallones de Lucha Cazador
(Bataillon
de chasseurs
légers)
Batallones de Lucha Irregular
(Light Battalion)
Bloque Opositor del Sur
(Southern Opposition Bloc)
Comités de Defensa Sandinista
Central Intelligence Agency (United States)
counter-insurgent or counter-insurgency
Consejo de Defensa Centroamericana
(Central
American Defense Council)
colonel (military commissioned officer rank)
Consejo Superior de la Empresa Privada
(Higher
Council of Private Enterprises)
Empresa Nicaragüense de Alimentos Básicos
(National Enterprise for Basic Foodstuffs)
Ejercito popular sandinista
(Sandinista Popular
Army)
Fusil Automatique Léger
(light automatic rifle,
Belgian-designed firearm)
Fuerza Democrática Nicaragüense
(Nicaraguan
Democratic Force)
Fuerza Aérea sandinista y Defensa Antiaérea
(Sandinista Air Force-Air Force Defence)
Fuerza Democratica Nicaragüense
(Nicaragua
Democratic Force)
Frente Sandinista de Liberación Nacional
(Sandinista
National Liberation Front)
German Democratic Republic (East Germany)
general (military commissioned officer rank)
Guardia Nacional
(National Guard)
headquarters
Junta de Gobierno de Reconstrucción Nacional
(Junta
of National Reconstruction)
KISAN
Kus Indian Sut Asla Nicaragua ra
(Nicaraguan Coast
Indian Unity)
Km
kilometre
NCO
non-commissioned officer
MDN
Movimiento Democrático Nicaragüense
(Nicaraguan
Democratic Movement)
MINDIRA
Ministerio de Desarrollo y Instituto Nacional de
Reforma Agraria
MINT
Ministerio del Interio
(Interior ministry)
MILPAS
Milicias Populares Anti-Sandinistas
(Anti-Sandinista
Popular Militias)
MPS
Milicia Popular Sandinista
(Sandinista popular
militia)
MISURA
Miskito, Sumo, and Rama
MISURATA
Miskito, Sumo, Rama Unity
MISURASATA
Miskito, Sumo, Rama, and Sandinista Unity
NSC
National Security Council
OAS
Organization of American States
RN
Resistencia Nicaragüense
(National Resistance)
RM
Region Militar
(Military Region)
RPG
Rocket-propelled grenade
SMP
Servicio Militar Patriótico
(Patriotic Military
Service)
UDN-FARN
Union Democratica Revolucionaria Nicaraguense-
Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Nicaragua
(Nicaraguan Democratic Union-Nicaraguan
Revolutionary Armed Forces)
UN
United Nations
UNO
Unión Nacional Opositora
(National Opposition
Union)
UNO
Unidad Nicaragüense Opositora
(United Nicaraguan
Opposition)
US
United States of America
USMC
United States Marine Corps
US$
United States Dollar
USSR
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (Soviet Union)
YATAMA
Yapti Tasba Masraka Nanih Aslatakanka
(Sons of
Mother Earth)
JGRN
ADDENDA/ERRATA TO
LATIN AMERICA@WAR 9: NICARAGUA
1961-1990, THE DOWNFALL OF THE SOMOZA DICTATORSHIP
C
ontemporary military history is a highly dynamic discipline,
in which the research never ends, and new information is
obtained almost continuously. Kike Maracas, a son of a former
soldier of the National Guard of Nicaragua (GN), forwarded us the
following commentary, updates and photographs in response to the
publishication of Volume 1:
Page 15:
Regarding the clash at ‘Las Termópilas’, in Managua, on
6 August 1967: the Sandinistas claimed that 300 soldiers attacked
a cell of about four or five insurgents. Actually, it was a police unit
that tried to enter the house first. The Sandinistas opened fire,
killing one. The National Guard deployed a company of about 100,
supported by one T17E1 Staghound armoured car. By the time the
GN arrived on the scene, only one militant was still around. The
commander of the National Guard then ordered the crew of the
armoured car to open fire: that ended the confrontation.
2
NICARAGUA, 1961–1990, VOLUME 2: THECONTRA WAR
Page 18:
The ‘Presidential Guard Battalion’ was actually named
the General Somoza Battalion, or BCS. It was a combat unit, not a
‘personal guard’ or a ceremonial unit. After the earthquake of 1972,
it existed on paper only. It was re-established in 1978, staffed by a
new complement of officers and other ranks – mostly graduates
of the Infantry Training School (EEBI) – and deployed in combat.
According to its commander, Colonel (Infantry) Alberto Smith, it
had about 500 troops in total.
The GN remained a small outfit through 1978 and 1979: it never
included more than between 5,500 and 6,500, including administrative
personnel. Only about 2,000 were members of combat units. It never
Insignia of the BCS. (Kike Maracas)
used M60 machine guns but Browning BAR, M1919 and the newer
FN MAG58. The GN troops originally
wore US-made M1 helmets. By 1978,
these were replaced by Israeli-made
OR-201 kevlar helmets. Some Galil
assault rifles were in service by then.
Uniforms were of Nicaraguan origin.
Furthermore, the GN received a mix
of FN FAL, M16A1s, and SAR assault
rifles by 1979. Even then, between 30-
40% of its troops were still armed with
the very good M1 Garand rifle.
Regarding
Staghounds:
Israel
offered a total of 90 Chevrolet M6/
T17E1 and T17E2 armoured cars, in
the late 1950s. After three months of
testing, only the 80 best were chosen:
30 were sold to Cuba (then still under
Bautista), 10 were held as reserve, and
40 pressed into active service with
the Armoured Battalion of the GN.
About 30 were still in service by 1977.
Between eight and ten were knocked
out during the final phase of the war
Troops of the General Somoza Battalion, with one of their Dodge M37B jeeps, as seen in
in 1979, together with two Sherman
1979. The unit also operated Ebro jeeps from Spain, Ford M151s, Unimog 404s and AIL M325
command cars. All troops used Israeli-made equipment and armament. (via Kike Maracas)
tanks and two or three M3 halftracks,
mostly in urban battles. The new
Sandinista army originally operated 14
Staghounds, three Sherman tanks, four
M3 halftracks and one ‘do-it-yourself ’
armoured vehicle left behind by the
BN.
At an unknown date in 1979,
Emilio Miranga Mongalo, one of the
Sandinista pilots involved in operations
to deliver weapons and supplies to the
insurgents inside Nicaragua, had an
encounter with one of the Fuerza Aera
(de) Nicaragua’s Lockheed AT-33A
Shooting Stars. The jet (serial number
306) attacked Miranga Mongalo’s
Cessna FTB.337 using machine guns.
Realizing he could not escape, the
Sandinista pilot made a belly landing
in an open field, and escaped to Costa
Rica on foot. As far as is known, this is
The GN also had commandos. They wore black berets and were considered special forces.
what can be considered the only aerial
This photograph shows them at a firing range in 1978, armed with SAR and Galil assault
victory of the Nicaraguan War of the
rifles, and wearing Israeli combat vests. Visible are vehicles including AIL M325 command
1960-1979 period.
cars, Dodge M37Bs and Pegaso 3050s. (Nicaraguan National Guard, via Kike Maracas)
3

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