Kyle Burke, ‘Revolutionaries for the Right: Anticommunist Internationalism and Paramilitary Warfare in the Cold War’

Who did John Singlaub contact in May 1985 to help train the Contras?

Called Robert K. Brown, editor of Soldier of Fortune, to "take over where the CIA left off"

What was Brown’s team supposed to do for the Contras in Nicaragua in 1985?

They were to "train their elite commando unit for deep penetration operations into Nicaragua"

What does Burke say about Singlaub’s plan?

"Singlaub’s plan was one of many private military ventures that conservative Americans launched in Central America in the 1980s"

Why did conservatives push for privately funded warfare in Central America during the 1980s?

"The Reagan administration faced stiff resistance to its wars in Central America from Congress and the American public"

How did conservatives support private warfare efforts?

By "shifting war-making from the state to private actors"

What was John Singlaub’s view of Reagan before the 1980 election?

He believed Reagan was "a true leader who would do whatever was needed to prevent the spread of communism in the Third World"

What tactics did Singlaub endorse at the ABN meeting in 1981?

"Terrorism, subversion, and guerrilla warfare"

What was the purpose of the United States Council for World Freedom (USCWF) created in 1981?

To support resilient guerrilla movements to pressure the Soviet Union until it collapsed

What was the main argument of Claire Sterling’s 1981 The Terror Network?

Nearly every major terrorist organization was part of a "family" led by the KGB

Who wrote the 1981 The Terror Network?

Clare Sterling

When did President Somoza resign in Nicaragua?

17th July 1979

Who led the Sandinista coalition government formed in late 1979?

The Ortega brothers, Daniel and Humberto

How much aid did the Contras receive from the CIA by the end of 1982?

Nearly $20 million annually

What did Reagan famously call the Contras?

"The moral equivalent of our Founding Fathers and the brave men and women of the French resistance"

What chilling message was found on death squad victims after Reagan's election?

"With Ronald Reagan the miscreants and guerrillas of Central America and El Salvador will be finished"

What was the Atlacatl Battalion and when was it created?

A U.S.-trained El Salvadoran unit created in 1980

What atrocity did the Atlacatl Battalion commit on 11th December 1981?

They killed more than 800 civilians at El Mozote

When was the El Mozote masacre?

11th December 1981

How did Ellen Garwood contribute to the Contras?

Donated $2.5 million, including $65,000 for a Huey helicopter named Lady Ellen

Who donated $2.5 million, including $65,000 for a Huey helicopter?

Ellen Garwood

Name two major U.S. millionaires who funded the Contras

Nelson Bunker Hunt and Joseph Coors

How much did Americares Foundation raise for the Contras?

More than $14 million in medical supplies

What TV network did Pat Robertson use to raise funds for the Contras?

The Christian Broadcasting Network; raised over $25 million by 1985

Who used the Christian Broadcasting Network to raise over $25 million by 1985?

Pat Robertson