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The Bay of Pigs Invasion, Captura de Tela 2021-11-05 às 20.06.47, Captura…
The Bay of Pigs Invasion
What was it?
The Bay of Pigs invasion was an unsuccessful attempt by U.S-backed Cuban exiles to overthrow Cuba's Communist government in April 1961.
The ultimate goal of the plan was to overthrow Cuban dictator Fidel Castro and establish a non-communist government on the island.
The exiles, known as Brigade 2506, were trained and funded by the United States government.
Context
Within six months of Castro's overthrow of Batista in 1959, U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba, because of several things Castro had done to anger the Americans.
In 1960, Castro signed an economic deal with the USSR where they would exchange materials and help each other.
Castro also began a process of nationalization (taking over American owned businesses and property in the name of the Cuban people.
After a speech Castro gave about Cuba's true democracy, the CIA began training Cuban exiles for a possible invasion of Cuba. The invasion was approved in 1961, by John F. Kennedy.
How did it happen?
On April 1961, approximately 1,500 Cuban exile forces armed with U.S. weapons landed at 2 beaches on Cuba's southern coast near the Bay of Pigs.
The plan was to advance into Cuban territory, rally anti-Castro support from other Cubans, overthrow Castro's regime, and establish a new provisional government in Cuba.
However, the area around the landing site was swampy, which made it difficult for them to establish a beach-head and move into the countryside. The exiles were also met by Castro's army upon landing.
Because of the lack of equipment for a prolonged battle and other factors, 2 days after the start of the invasion, more than 1,100 members of the Brigade 2506 were captured, and more than 100 Brigade members died.
Result of Invasion
The defeat of the invasion was a major propaganda victory for Castro and the new Communist government. After the invasion, Castro let a widespread crackdown on political opponents of Cuba's government and solidified his absolute control of the country.
The prisoners from the invasion spant 20 months in prison. During this time, the U.S. negotiated with Cuba to secure their release.
By December 1962, Cuba freed approximately 1,100 exiles in return for $53 million in food and medicines raised by private donations in the U.S. A week later, surviving Brigade members gathered for a ceremony in Miami's Orange Bowl, where the Brigade's flag was handed over to President Kennedy.
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Why it failed?
A number of explanations were put forth, concluding poor planning and the U.S. government's failure to provide air support for the exiles.
Before attack, U.S. media compromised the secrecy of the investigation by publishing information about Cuban exile training camps in Guatemala.
2 days prior to the invasion, exile pilots flying WWII era bomber planes provided by the CIA had failed in an attempt to destroy the Cuban Air Force. President Kennedy cancelled a second air strike.
Prior to the invasion, Castro's government had also arrested many members of the Cuban opppositioin. Cuban troops also greatly outnumbered the exiles.
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