apr 17, 1961 - Bay of Pigs Invasion - Keira

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The Bay of Pigs was a failed attempt by the United States government to overthrow the Cuban government in 1961. The botched invasion involved a group of 1,400 Cuban exiles, trained and equipped by the US government, landing on the beaches of Cuba in an effort to overthrow Fidel Castro's communist government. The U.S. government was skeptical of Castro's relationship with Nikita Khrushchev, the leader of the Soviet Union. The plan anticipated that the Cuban people and elements of their military would support the invasion, given the intention was to establish a non-communist government. The first mistake occurred on April 15th, when eight bombers departed to bomb Cuban airfields but missed many of their targets and left the majority of Castro's air force intact. News broke of the attack, and suddenly the U.S. was revealed to be in support of the invasion. On April 17th, the Brigade 2506, or the Cuban-exile invasion force immediately came under heavy fire after landing on the beaches along the Bay of Pigs. Cuban planes sank two escort ships, destroyed half of the exile's air support, and strafed the invaders. Castro then ordered approximately 20,000 troops to advance to the beach within the following 24 hours. Finally, President Kennedy authorized an "air umbrella" where six unmarked American fighter planes defended the brigade's aircraft; both planes were shot down later that day, crushing the invasion.

"The Bay of Pigs." John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/the-bay-of-pigs#:~:text=On%20April%2017%2C%201961%2C%201%2C400,overthrew%20Cuban%20dictator%20Fulgencio%20Batista.

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