Bay of Pigs

THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION:

The Bay of Pigs Invasion was perhaps one of the biggest failures of the United States. In an attempt to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro, the United States government planned an invasion that ended with decreased trust in U.S. Government and killed all Cuban-American relations.



WHY

The Bay of Pigs Invasion had been

thought out long before the actual event

occurred. Here are some of the events

that lead up to Kennedy's invasion at the

Bay of Pigs.



March 17, 960



Eisenhower authorizes a CIA plan called A

Program of Covert Action Against the Castro

Regime. Shortly thereafter the CIA begins

recruiting and training a group of 1,400

Cuban exiles from Miami in Guatemala.



May 7, 1960



The Soviet Union and Cuba establish diplomatic relations.



June 8,1960



The United States suspends the Cuban sugar

quota, effectively cutting off 80 percent of

Cuban exports to the United States. The

following day, the Soviet Union agrees to

buy that sugar



September 1960



A large Soviet Bloc aims shipment

arrives in Cuba along with advisers and technicians.



October 6,1960

In response to the sugar situation, Castro

nationalizes U.S. private investments in

Cuba worth about $1 billion



December 6,1960



Cubs openly aligns itself with the

and foreign policies of the Soviet

pledging Sino-Soviet Bloc solidarity,



January 2, 1961



Soviet Premier Khrushchev denies the

existence of a Soviet military base in Cuba.

January 3,1961



January 20, 1961



John F, Kennedy is inaugurated as the

thirty-fifth president of the United States



Early April, 1961

Kennedy discusses issues of deniability with

regard to U.S. participation in the planned

invasion of Cuba. Arthur





Zapata Swamp



Havana (Trinidad) (Guantanamo)

Isle de la Juventud



Area in Detail



Playa Larga

Zapata Swamp

Zapata Peninsula



Bay of Pigs



Carribean Sea

Reefs

Playa Giron



THE INVASION:



(1) SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH 1961

Air Force B-26 Attack Bombers began flying bombing and strafing missions against Castro���s airfields near the Bay of Pigs and the Zapata swamps. Castro was prepared and had dispersed some obsolete, unusable planes to fool the attackers and draw the bombs.



(2) SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH 1961

Two battalions came ashore at Play Giron and one at Playa Larga. However, due to razor-sharp coral reefs, identified as seaweed by U2 spy photos, delayed the landing enough to expose it to air attach the following morning.



(3) MONDAY, APRIL 17TH 1961

By 3 a.m. the next morning, Castro knew about the landing, and the Cuban government responded immediately, taking a superior position in the air. Since world opinion was against the U.S., Kennedy decided not to provide further air coverage and Cuba forces had complete control of the air.



(4) WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19TH 1961

A final attempt fur U.S. air support resulted in the loss of four pilots. That afternoon, the U.S. invaders surrendered. More than 200 people been killed; another 1,197 were taken captive.



(5) THURSDAY, APRIL 20TH 1961

Kennedy told the American Society of Newspaper Editors that the episode was Cubans fighting Cubans and that the U.S. had not been involved.



(6) THE AFTERMATH

The Brigade prisoners remained in captivity for 20 months, as the United States negotiated a deal with Fidel Castro. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy made personal pleas to pharmaceutical companies and baby food manufacturers, and Castro eventually settled on 53 million dollars worth of baby food and drugs.



The Invasion not only tainted the Kennedy administration, but left a tense relationship with Cuba to this day.





WHAT WENT WRONG:



The United States and Cub. sever diplomatic

and consular relations.



Due to razor-sharp coral reefs, identified

as seaweed by U2 spy photos, delayed the

landing enough to expose it to air attacks

the following morning.



Two ships sank about 80 yards from shore,

some heavy equipment was lost.



Regarded by some as the biggest flaw in the

Bay of Pigs invasion, Kennedy halted U.S.

air support after the brigade landed, giving

Cuban air forces superior control of the sky.



After landing, reports from both

sides describe tank battles involving

heavy USSR equipment.



BY THE

NUMBERS



FOUR

2,400 TON

TRANSPORTS

LANDED



1,511 AMERICAN SOLDIERS



23 - THE AVERAGE AGE

OF THE U.S. SOLDIERS



75,000 CUBANS vs. 1,511 AMERICANS

The Cubans outnumbered the Americans 50 to 1. Each figure

represents approximately 1,500 soldiers. The black figures represent the Cuban soldiers and the red figure represents the American soldier.





5 PLANES SHOT DOWN

+ 1 PLANE LOST



2 BOATS SUNK



400 AMERICAN SOLDIERS LOST



A THOUSAND AND ONE HUNDRED CAPTURED



$ 53,000,000,000

OF FOOD AND DRUGS

IN EXCHANGE FOR THOSE CAPTURED THE BAY OF PIGS INVASION BYTHE NUMBERS FOUR 1,511 The Bay of Pigs Invasion was perhaps one of the biggest failures of the United States. In an attempt the United States government planned an invasion that ended with decreased trust in U.S. Government and killed all Cuban-American relations. overthrow the government of Fidel Castro, WHY: THE INVASION: The Bay of Pigs Invasion had been thought out long before the actual event occurred. Here are some of the events that lead up to Kennedy's invasion at the Bay of Pigs. SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH 1961 Air Force B-26 Attack Bombers began flying bombing and strafing missions against Castro's airfields near the Bay of Pigs and the Zapata swamps. Castro was prepared and had dispersed some obselete, unusuable planes to fool the attackers and draw the bombs. Havana, 2,400 TON Zapata Swamp Trinidad TRANSPORTS Isla de la Juventud LANDED AMERICAN SOLDIERS Area in Detail Guantanama 100 mi March 17, 1960 23 |THE AVERAGE AGE SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH 1961 Playa Larga Eisenhower authorizes a CIA plan called "A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime." Shortly thereafter the CIA begins recruiting and training a group of 1,400 Cuban exiles from Miami in Guatemala. Two battalions came ashore at Play Giron and one at Playa Larga. However, due to razor-sharp coral reefs, identified as seaweed by U2 spy photos, delayed the landing enough to expose it to air attacks the following morning. OF THE U.S. SOLDIERS Zapata Swamp MONDAY APRIL 17TH 1961 By 3 a.m. the next morning, Castro knew about the landing, and the Cuban government responded immediately, taking a superior position in the air. Since world opinion was against the U.S., Kennedy decided not to provide further air coverage and Cuba forces had complete control of the air, May 7,1960 The Soviet Union and Cuba establish diplomatic relations. June 8,1960 Zapata Peninsula Bay of Pigs The United States suspends the Cuban sugar quota, effectively cutting off 80 percent of "Cuban exports to the Ünited States. The following day, the Soviet Union agrees to buy that sugar WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19TH 196I A final attempt for U.S. air support resulted in the loss of four pilots. That afternoon, the U.S. invaders surrendered. More than 200 people been killed; another 1,197 were taken captive. September, 1960 75,000 CUBANS vs. 1,511 AMERICANS A large Soviet Bloc arms shipment arrives in Cuba along with advisors and technicians. The Cubans outnumbered the Americans 50 to 1. Each figure represents approximately 1,500 soldiers. The black figures represent the Cuban soldiers and the red figure represents the American soldier. THURSDAY, APRIL 20TH 1961I Playa Girón Kennedy told the American Society of Newspaper Editors that the episode was Cubans fighting Cubans and that the U.S. had not been involved. Reefs October 6,1960 In response to the sugar situation, Castro nationalizes U.S. private investments in Cuba worth about $1 billion THE AFTERMATH The Brigade prisoners remained in captivity for 20 months, as the United States negotiated a deal with Fidel Castro. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy made personal pleas to pharmaceutical companies and baby food manufacturers, and Castro eventually settled on 53 million dollars worth of baby food and drugs. The Invasion not only tainted the Kennedy administration, but left a tense relationship with Cuba to this day. Carribean Sea December 6,1960 Cuba openly aligns itself with the domestic and foreign policies of the Soviet Union, pledging Sino-Soviet Bloc solidarity 5 mi 5 PLANES SHOT DOWN + I PLANE LOST 2 BOATS SUNK January 2, 1961 WHAT WENT WRONG: AMERICAN Soviet Premier Krushchev denies the existence of a Soviet military base in Cuba. 400 SOLDIERS LOST January 3, 1961 A THOUSAND AND ONE HUNDRED The United States and Cuba sever diplomatic and consular relations. CAPTURED $53,000,000,000 January 20, 1961 John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the thirty-fifth president of the Ünited States. Early April, 196I Kennedy discusses issues of deniability with Due to razor-sharp coral reefs, identified regard to U.S. participation in the planned as seaweed by U2 spy photos, delayed the invasion of Cuba. Arthur landing enough to expose it to air attacks the following morning. Regarded by some as the biggest flaw in the Two ships sank about 80 yards from shore, Bay of Pigs invasion, Kennedy halted U.S. air support after the brigade landed, giving Cuban air forces superior control of the sky. After landing, reports from both sides describe tank battles involving heavy USSR equipment. OF FOOD AND DRUGS IN EXCHANGE FOR THOSE CAPTURED and some heavy equipment was lost. Sources bayofpigsmuseum.org: historyofcuba.com jfkibraryorg opb.org wikipedia.com; thinkquest.org