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Cuba was the only Latin country to declare war on Germany during World War II, along with a declaration against Italy and Japan. Cuba arranged enemy internment camps, one for women and two for men, in anticipation of war activity. Upon word of the declaration, Hitler asked his staff to point out the location of Cuba on a map, and reportedly commented "that little thing?", but dispatched U-boats and a spy, August Kunning Heinz, in 1941. Heinz posed as Henry Augustus Lunin, utilizing his knowledge of telegraphy and radio engineering while reporting himself as a world trader, to report on the Cuban resources and infrastructure surrounding sugar, tobacco and coffee. Simultaneously, he reported on the tonnage, capacity and capability of the Cuban maritime fleet.

The result of Heinz's actions resulted in the sinking of seven Cuban ships by U-boats between 1942 and 1944, killing more than 80 Cuban marines and three Americans.

Cuban intelligence forces discovered Heinz, finding maps, sketches, and drawings of commercial areas of Cuba, as well as long-range communications equipment, documents revealing dialogue with Nazi contacts, and a pen-gun, manufactured by The Lake Erie Chemical Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The guns were popular in the late 19th century with spies, gamblers, travelers, and women in many parts of the world.

A Cuban flag-hunting submarine was able to overturn a German spy U-boat on May 15, 1943.

Several monuments are erected around Cuba to those who lost their lives and participated in the military effort against Axis powers.

Sources: Raul Martell, Cuba.com / Cubarte, Portal of Cuban Culture / Following the German mark in Cuba,

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12y ago

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