apr 19, 1961 - Bay of Pigs Invasion (Kyle)

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On April 17th 1961, the United States supported a failed invasion of Cuba known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion. The invasion aimed to overthrow the communist government ruled by Fidel Castro. The plan was first developed during president Eisenhower's administration and was later approved by president john f. Kennedy. The plan involved training and funding a group of Cubans exiled by Castro to land on Cuba's southern coast and spark an uprising in the people against Castro. However the operation did not go to plan as it was based on faulty intelligence and overly optimistic assumptions. The exiles faced strong resistance from Castro's well prepared military, and without adequate air support from the U.S the operation quickly fell apart. Within three days of landing on the island the majority of the exiles were captured or killed, and the operation became known as a major embarrassment for the Kennedy administration. The failed operation not only strengthened Castro's ego but also pushed him closer to the soviet union, increasing tensions and laying the groundwork for the Cuban missile crisis later on in the war.

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Bay of Pigs Invasion | Summary, Significance, & Facts.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 4 Jan. 2019, www.britannica.com/event/Bay-of-Pigs-invasion.

‌John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. “The Bay of Pigs.” Jfklibrary.org, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, 7 Nov. 2024, www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/the-bay-of-pigs.

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