The annex identifies the naval base at Guantánamo as a location where incidents might appear to arise from a hostile Cuban government. It suggests disturbances, fabricated or staged approaches by hostile groups, sabotage and attacks on the installation. These are described as possible provocations that could be combined and timed. The text then moves from incidents to American offensive actions against nearby facilities and ultimately large-scale military operations. [1]
That progression is the important feature. The purpose was not merely to produce a dramatic photograph; it was to create a chain of apparent cause and response. A limited event could be described as evidence of aggression, a local military response presented as necessary protection and a wider intervention made to look like escalation imposed by Cuba. The proposal was aimed at audiences beyond the base, including American and international opinion. [1]
Some items explicitly use simulations or mock victims. Other suggestions involve burning aircraft, detonating ammunition or damaging installations. An account that calls every item a bloodless drill omits this distinction. An account that claims the paper proves actual base personnel were murdered adds something the document does not establish. The contemporary harbor photograph in this chapter is geographical context: it does not identify USS Enterprise as a chosen target or show an operation being prepared. [1]