At a Press Conference held at Union Station, General John West, former Supreme Commander of United States forces in California resigned his commission, delivering an address which criticized the current regime under President Paul Aguirre. West later traveled to Havana, to accept a Commission from President Fulgencio Batista.
"For forty five years, the remnants of the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force, preserved liberty and justice in California. Late last year California legally seceded from the Union. Historically we may doubt the legitimacy of this secession, but given the forces at my disposal, preventing it was impossible and would have resulted in untold and immediate civilian and military bloodshed. As I am a man of peace I could not condone this and worked to decommission the United States Army and turn control of its principal assets over to local peacekeeping forces. Despite my strong reservations, I worked with the Civil Guards and Assault Guards, militias formed by the Communist-Nationalist Movement, to ensure a peaceful turnover of power.
Support on the part of the Government of the Republic of California for retaining a functional national Armed force has been non-existent. The principal thrust of the Government has been to build the Assault Guards and Civil Gaurds while stripping the predominantly middle-class and anglo Southland Militia of assets whenever possible. In the interest of "evening the balance" the Government has ruthlessly favored the Movement branches.
I have done what I could to ensure that the middle-class and Anglo citizens of the Republic of California have adequate arms and materiel to protect themselves from the rising tide. It is my firm belief that the Movement will not be stopped until the property rights of Los Angelenos are overturned and the state turned into a Communist Dictatorship.
As an officer in the United States Army, my work is done. I have no place or desire to serve in the Army of the Republic of California, a sham construction which lends political power to the Communist encroachment."
Following his speech, West flew to Penn State on a Chartered DC-4 airliner to Penn State, traveling to Manhattan where he was received as a guest and dined with Prince Luciano, posing for photographs before continuing by steam-packet to Havana.
Arriving in Havana to a hero's welcome, he was driven by car to the Presidential Palace to meet with President Batista, and accepted a Commission as a General of Volunteers in the Cuban Army. In Manhattan West established offices for the hiring of mercenaries, and negotiated for the release of Republican Prisoners to Cuba. West and Batista have developed a joint strategy to fight the Communist insurgency in Cuba with an army of skilled foreign mercenaries, operating in concert with the Cuban Army.
In a statement issued shortly after his arrival, West announced "I will prevent what has happened in California from happening in Cuba, and one day the California Republic will also be freed of Communist tyranny."
