Operation Pedro Pan : The Untold Exodus of 14,048 Cuban Children

On August 11, 1961, at the age of ten, Yvonne M. Conde left Cuba in one of the world's largest political exoduses of children in history–Operation Pedro Pan. Between 1960 and 1962 over 14,000 children were sent out of Cuba alone by desperate parents who feared for their children's future under Castro. Unlike Peter Pan, however, these children continued to grow up even while separated from their families.

Yvonne M. Conde investigates the events and key figures surrounding the exodus, including the roles of the Catholic church and the State Department, and the extent of the CIA's involvement. As the children arrived in temporary camps in Miami, dedicated volunteers such as Father Bryan O. Walsh helped them find new homes across the country. Conde has tracked down hundreds of these children to tell their diverse stories–their uplifting, poignant, and sometimes tragic experiences in American foster homes and orphanages. Because she herself was a Pedro Pan child, others have opened up to her like never before to share their feelings about this painful time in their lives. Today, these children and their families struggle to heal the emotional scars of their long separation.

Writing with compassion and rare insight, Yvonne M. Conde uncovers the true tales of a little known episode of the Cold War.