美国为了暗杀菲德尔·卡斯特罗采取的疯狂手段：英语精读讲义

According to Fidel Castro's former Secret Service Chief, 表達脈絡

根据菲德尔·卡斯特罗前特勤局局长的说法，

the now deceased dictator survived no less than 634 attempts on his life, 短語搭配

这位现已过世的独裁者至少躲过了 634 次暗杀，

many by the American Central Intelligence Agency,

其中许多是由美国中央情报局策划的，

from exploding cigars to exploding seashells. 表達脈絡

从会爆炸的雪茄到会爆炸的贝壳应有尽有。

What were some of the most creative ways the United States tried to kill Castro?

美国为了杀死卡斯特罗，曾尝试过哪些最具创意的方法呢？

Hello, and welcome to another episode of The Infographics Show.

大家好，欢迎收看新一期的《信息图表秀》。

Today, we're taking a look at the US's most insane attempts to kill Fidel Castro. 短語搭配

今天，我们将一起盘点美国为暗杀菲德尔·卡斯特罗所做出的那些最疯狂的尝试。

As a ruler of Cuba from 1961 until 2011,

作为 1961 年至 2011 年期间古巴的统治者，

Fidel Castro came to power riding a wave of revolutionary zeal. 講解

菲德尔·卡斯特罗是乘着革命热潮上台的。

But while having his roots as an anti-imperialistic revolutionary that fought for the people,

尽管他起初是一位为人民而战的反帝革命者，

upon assuming power 語法

但在掌权之后，

Castro very quickly became as ruthless and authoritarian as any dictator. 語法

卡斯特罗很快就变得和其他独裁者一样冷酷无情且专制。

From stripping away the freedom of the press 短語動詞

从剥夺新闻自由

to bragging about jailing tens of thousands of political opponents,

到吹嘘自己监禁了成千上万名政敌，

Castro became one of the most notorious leaders of the 20th century.

卡斯特罗成为了 20 世纪最臭名昭著的领导人之一。

Yet, it wasn't until Castro began cozying up to the US's arch enemy, 講解

然而，直到卡斯特罗开始向美国的头号死敌——

the Soviet Union,

苏联示好时，

that he wandered into the crosshairs of the US's Central Intelligence Agency. 習語

他才进入了美国中央情报局的视野。

Fearful of a global domino effect where one nation falling into communism would lead to another and so on, 習語

由于担心出现一个国家陷入共产主义会导致其他国家接连效仿的全球多米诺骨牌效应，

the US was also deeply disturbed by the presence of a strong Soviet ally

美国也对这个强大的苏联盟友

less than 100 miles from its shores.

出现在距离其海岸线不到 100 英里的地方感到极度不安。

Foreseeing a Cuban Crisis scenario,

预见到可能会出现类似古巴危机的局面，

which ironically would come to pass anyways, 短語動詞

讽刺的是，这种情况无论如何后来还是发生了，

the US intelligence committee made the recommendation

美国情报委员会提出了建议：

that Castro be removed from power by any means necessary. 短語搭配

必须不择手段地将卡斯特罗赶下台。

For a decade and a half, 短語搭配

在长达十五年的时间里，

US presidents would agree,

历任美国总统都同意这一做法，

until the signing of Executive Order 11905 by President Gerald R. Ford in 1976, 文化背景

直到 1976 年，杰拉尔德·R·福特总统签署了第 11905 号行政命令，

banned US intelligence agencies from committing political assassinations.

才明令禁止美国情报机构进行政治暗杀。

Yet, for 15 long years prior to Executive Order 11905,

然而，在第 11905 号行政命令颁布之前的 15 年漫长岁月中，

it was open season on Castro as far as the US was concerned, 講解

对美国而言，暗杀卡斯特罗是一项公开的行动，

even going so far as to enlist the aid of American mafia leaders. 語法

甚至不惜寻求美国黑手党头目的帮助。

So, what were some of the craziest ways the CIA tried to kill Castro?

那么，中情局为了杀死卡斯特罗，究竟尝试过哪些最疯狂的方法呢？

Perhaps the most famous plots against Castro was the exploding cigar.

也许最著名的暗杀阴谋就是会爆炸的雪茄。

Known for his love of cigars,

因为卡斯特罗酷爱雪茄，

the CIA brainstormed a way to get Castro a case of cigars

中情局想方设法要送给卡斯特罗一盒雪茄，

loaded with small amounts of explosives,

里面装有少量的爆炸物。

allegedly during a trip to the United Nations in 1966,

据称在 1966 年卡斯特罗前往联合国期间，

a CIA agent was en route to swap a case of explosive cigars with real cigars, 用詞

一名中情局特工在途中准备用爆炸雪茄换掉真雪茄，

when at the last minute the operation was cancelled 短語搭配

但在最后一刻，行动被取消了，

for fear of political fallout from Castro's assassination 用詞

原因是担心卡斯特罗在联合国访问期间遇刺

taking place during a visit to the UN.

会引发严重的政治后果。

Yet, some sources suggest that the exploding cigar ploy was a complete fabrication, 短語搭配

然而，有消息人士表示，爆炸雪茄的计策完全是捏造的，

purposefully silly and meant to hide more serious attempts on Castro's life.

故意显得很荒诞，目的是掩盖针对卡斯特罗生命更严肃的暗杀企图。

Whatever the case, Castro's security team took the threat extremely seriously, 講解

无论如何，卡斯特罗的安全团队都极其认真地对待了这一威胁，

eventually leading them to create the Cohiba cigar brand 文化背景

最终促使他们创立了高希霸（Cohiba）雪茄品牌，

in order to guarantee the safety of Castro's supply of cigars.

以保证卡斯特罗雪茄供应的安全。

When Castro threw out the Batista regime in 1959 講解

当卡斯特罗在 1959 年推翻巴蒂斯塔政权

and took over the extremely lucrative casinos and hotels, 短語動詞

并接管了利润丰厚的赌场和酒店时，

he made more than a few enemies among international mobsters, 習語

他在国际黑帮分子中树立了不少敌人，

enemies the CIA was happy to cooperate with against their shared enemy.

而中情局很乐意与这些敌人合作，共同对付他们共同的仇敌。

Shortly after Castro came to power,

卡斯特罗上台后不久，

a CIA agent met with Las Vegas mobster Johnny Roselli,

一名中情局特工会见了拉斯维加斯黑帮成员约翰尼·罗塞利，

who introduced him to members of the Las Vegas Syndicate of Bugsy Siegel fame, 短語搭配

罗塞利将他介绍给了巴格西·西格尔麾下著名的拉斯维加斯黑帮集团成员，

offering the mobsters $150,000,

提出向这些黑手党成员支付 15 万美元，

or $1.2 million in today's dollars,

相当于今天的 120 万美元，

to kill Castro in whatever way they thought was best. 語法

让他们用自己认为最好的方式杀死卡斯特罗。

Roselli declined the money and said he'd do the job for free.

罗塞利拒绝了这笔钱，并表示他愿意免费效劳。

Contacting mob operatives in Cuba,

通过联系在古巴的黑帮特工，

the Vegas mob attempted to poison Castro with cyanide pills loaded into his drinks.

拉斯维加斯黑帮试图在卡斯特罗的饮料中加入氰化物药丸来毒死他。

Yet, the mob assassin failed several times throughout 1960

然而，在整个 1960 年，这名黑帮杀手多次失败，

to get close enough to Castro to succeed. 語法

始终未能足够接近卡斯特罗以完成任务。

After the multiple failures,

在多次失败后，

the CIA ran out of patience and turned the job over 講解

中情局失去了耐心，将任务移交给了

to a doctor named Anthony Verona,

一位名叫安东尼·维罗纳的医生，

who due to professional connections had a much better chance 短語搭配

由于职业上的联系，他有更好的机会

of getting close to the ever-more wary dictator.

接近这位日益警惕的独裁者。

Yet, even after being paid $11,000, or $93,000 in today's dollars,

然而，即使获得了 1.1 万美元（相当于今天的 9.3 万美元）的报酬，

Verona quit after the disastrous Bay of Pigs invasion. 文化背景

维罗纳在灾难性的猪湾事件后还是退出了。

Poisoned pills seemed like a good idea to the CIA, though,

不过，毒药丸似乎对中情局来说是个好主意，

and shortly after the mob failed,

就在黑帮暗杀失败后不久，

the CIA launched Operation Mongoose with the goal of recruiting 講解

中情局发起了“猫鼬行动”，目的是招募

and training Cuban exiles to become secret agents inside Cuba.

并训练古巴流亡者，使他们成为古巴境内的特工。

In what would have seemed to be the absolute jackpot for the CIA, 講解

对于中情局来说，这似乎是一个千载难逢的机会，

agents managed to recruit one of Castro's former girlfriends,

特工们设法招募了卡斯特罗的一位前女友，

a woman named Marita Lorenz.

一位名叫玛丽塔·洛伦兹的女士。

With overnight access to his home,

由于可以在他家过夜，

Marita seemed like a sure bet, 習語

玛丽塔看起来胜券在握，

and the CIA quickly began training her in the use of cyanide tablets.

中情局迅速开始训练她使用氰化物药片。

Lethal within 30 seconds of ingestion, 用詞

这种药片吞下后 30 秒内即可致命，

Marita returned to Cuba and reconnected with Castro,

玛丽塔回到古巴并重新联系了卡斯特罗，

staying the night at his home.

在他家留宿了一晚。

Yet, as she went for the pills, 短語動詞

然而，当她去拿药片时，

she realized they had dissolved into the jar of cold cream she stored them in,

发现药片已经溶解在她存放药片的冷霜罐里，

and were completely unusable.

完全无法使用了。

Suffering a crisis of conscience, 短語搭配

也许是出于良心的谴责，

or perhaps afraid because of Castro's suspicions,

或者是害怕引起卡斯特罗的怀疑，

Marita confessed the plot to Castro,

玛丽塔向卡斯特罗坦白了这个阴谋，

who immediately began to rage,

卡斯特罗立刻勃然大怒，

yet not against Marita, but against the US. 語法

但不是针对玛丽塔，而是针对美国。

In a 1993 interview with Vanity Fair,

在 1993 年接受《名利场》采访时，

Castro then grabbed a .45 caliber pistol and put it in her hand,

玛丽塔回忆说，卡斯特罗随后抓起一把 .45 口径手枪塞进她手里，

telling her that she couldn't kill him.

告诉她，她杀不了他。

He was right.

他是对的。

Marita dropped the gun and stayed the night with Castro,

玛丽塔扔下了枪，和卡斯特罗共度了那一夜，

leaving in the morning and never returning.

第二天早上离开，再也没有回来。

Despite repeated failures,

尽管屡次失败，

the CIA is nothing if not persistent. 習語

中情局可以说是屡败屡战。

Once more going back to the drawing board, 習語

再次回到原点后，

they struck upon another of Castro's weaknesses, 短語動詞

他们发现了卡斯特罗的另一个弱点，

his love of taking frequent morning ocean swims.

他喜欢经常在早晨去海里游泳。

Well known for attending a private beach for his swims, 短語搭配

众所周知，他常去一个私人海滩游泳，

the CIA came upon the idea of infiltrating that beach 短語搭配

中情局想出了一个主意：在前一天晚上派美国特种部队

with US Special Forces the night before

潜入该海滩，

and placing sabotaged seashells along the sand.

在沙滩上放置经过改装的贝壳。

Each seashell would conceal a small amount of explosives,

每个贝壳里都藏有少量的炸药，

and exploding them all together would hopefully neutralize the dictator

只要它们一起爆炸，就有望解决掉这个独裁者，

no matter where he chose to sunbathe. 語法

不管他选择在哪里享受日光浴。

The idea garnered enough serious attention that tests were conducted on a Virginia beach, 短語搭配

这个想法得到了足够的重视，甚至在弗吉尼亚州的一个海滩上进行了测试，

but lacking in explosive power, 短語搭配

但由于爆炸威力不足，

the entire idea was deemed completely impractical. 語法

整个想法被认为完全不切实际。

Yet, undeterred, 表達脈絡

然而，中情局并没有气馁，

the CIA came upon another seashell idea.

他们又想出了另一个与贝壳有关的主意。

What if instead of numerous seashells, 語法

既然许多贝壳不行，

just one big one?

那么一个巨大的贝壳如何呢？

With Castro's known love of scuba diving,

鉴于卡斯特罗众所周知热爱水肺潜水，

the CIA proposed painting one large seashell in exotic colors

中情局提议将一个巨大的贝壳涂上奇特的颜色，

and hiding explosives within.

然后将炸药藏在里面。

Luring Castro's attention,

为了吸引卡斯特罗的注意，

the seashell could then be remotely detonated

当他靠近时，

when he came close enough.

贝壳就可以被远程引爆。

Ultimately, this idea was also regarded as impractical,

最终，这个想法也被认为是不切实际的，

with no guarantee Castro would notice this particular seashell 語法

因为无法保证卡斯特罗会注意到这个特定的贝壳

amongst the thousands littering Cuba's beaches. 用詞

在散布于古巴海滩上的成千上万个贝壳之中。

They say the pen is mightier than the sword, 習語

人们常说笔锋胜于剑刃，

but could it potentially be lethal?

但它有可能致命吗？

American novelist Ernest Hemingway had owned property in Cuba since 1940

美国小说家欧内斯特·海明威自 1940 年起就在古巴拥有房产，

and spent most of his time there until his death in 1961.

并在那里度过了他的大部分时光，直到 1961 年去世。

Shortly after Hemingway's suicide,

在海明威自杀后不久，

his widow floated the idea of using the farm 習語

他的遗孀提出了一个想法，即利用这个农场

as a staging ground to kill Castro. 用詞

作为暗杀卡斯特罗的集结地。

As a huge fan of Hemingway's work,

作为海明威作品的超级粉丝，

Castro had already visited what had become a shrine to the late author, 用詞

卡斯特罗已经参观过这个已故作家的圣地，

with his widow noting that Castro seemed to have little security

他的遗孀注意到，卡斯特罗在参观时似乎

with him when he visited.

身边几乎没有什么安保人员。

The CIA carefully considered the offer,

中情局仔细考虑了这个提议，

and despite the apparent advantages it offered,

尽管它提供了明显的优势，

ultimately rejected the idea.

最终还是拒绝了这个想法。

While no official reason was given, 語法

虽然没有给出官方原因，

perhaps the CIA feared, rightfully so, the backlash 講解

但也许中情局理所当然地害怕遭到强烈反对，

of using the home of one of the most acclaimed novelists

因为利用 20 世纪最著名小说家之一的故居

of the 20th century to commit an assassination.

来进行暗杀，确实会引发众怒。

From exploding cigars to seashells to poisoned pills and former lovers,

从爆炸雪茄到贝壳，再到毒药丸和前女友，

the CIA clearly has no shortage of imagination 習語

在策划邪恶阴谋方面，

when it comes to nefarious plots. 短語搭配

中情局显然从不缺乏想象力。

Yet, Castro would go on to defy every attempt made on his life, 語法

然而，卡斯特罗挺过了对他生命的每一次刺杀，

and ultimately pass away of old age, 用詞

最终安详老死，

in a way defeating his former rivals 表達脈絡

在某种程度上击败了他曾经的对手——

at the most powerful intelligence agency in the world.

这个世界上最强大的情报机构。

Have you heard any other crazy assassination plots

你听说过其他任何关于暗杀卡斯特罗

on Castro or any other leaders' lives?

或其他领导人的疯狂阴谋吗？

Want to hear more about crazy plots that actually worked?

想听更多实际上成功了的疯狂阴谋吗？

Let us know in the comments.

请在评论区告诉我们。

Also, be sure to watch our other video called

此外，请务必观看我们的另一部视频，名为

What are the weirdest unsolved internet mysteries?

互联网上最奇怪的未解之谜是什么？

Thanks for watching,

感谢观看，

and as always,

和往常一样，

don't forget to like, share, and subscribe.

别忘了点赞、分享和订阅。

And as ever,

一如既往，

see you next time.

我们下次再见。