The Cuban Bus Crisis. Tales of CIA Sabotage

Few people would be surprised to hear that the CIA had assassinated a dictator, inspired a military coup in the Middle East or Latin America. However, causing a ship to sink in the principal river of America?s closest ally would probably be seen to be contrary to not only international law and the American Constitution, but also a step too far, even for the CIA. That is what happened in October 1964 when the American Agency was involved in the sinking on the River Thames of the mv...
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Few people would be surprised to hear that the CIA had assassinated a dictator, inspired a military coup in the Middle East or Latin America. However, causing a ship to sink in the principal river of America?s closest ally would probably be seen to be contrary to not only international law and the American Constitution, but also a step too far, even for the CIA. That is what happened in October 1964 when the American Agency was involved in the sinking on the River Thames of the mv Magdeburg, an East German freighter carrying 42 Leyland buses to Castro?s Cuba, in the face of sustained protests from Washington against driving holes through its Trade and Credit embargo of Cuba. Details of the incident remain classified in America, hardly surprising in view of the fact that the sinking occurred In the main shipping lane of a country supposedly enjoying a special relationship with the United States. If publicly revealed, it would not only have caused a major and embarrassing diplomatic upset, but would have also subjected the CIA's clandestine sabotage operations to worldwide scrutiny.This book invetigates a series of historical events leading to "El Bloqueo", the US Trade Embargo of Cuba, and to the varied attempts by the CIA and its agencies to stop other countries from exporting buses and other heavy equipment to to that island.