Bay of Pigs invasion was an unsuccessful attempt by Cuban exiles to overthrow Cuba’s Communist government in 1961. The exiles were trained and funded by the United States government, which opposed Cuban President Fidel Castro. Historians believe that poor planning and the U.S. government’s failure to provide air support for the rebels led to their defeat by Castro’s forces. The invasion is regarded as one of the worst foreign policy blunders of U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s administration.
On April 17, 1961, about 1,400 Cuban exiles landed at Playa Girón and Playa Larga, two beaches on Cuba’s southern coast near the Bay of Pigs (Bahía de Cochinos). The exiles planned to advance into Cuban territory and establish a provisional government. However, the area around the landing sites was swampy, which made it difficult for them to establish a beachhead (foothold) and move into the countryside.
The invasion ended on April 19, after more than 1,100 members of the exile unit, known as Brigade 2506, were captured. More than 100 members died in battle, and some others escaped to the interior of the island to join anti-Castro guerrilla groups. The Cuban government has never revealed exactly how many Cuban troops died in the invasion. The rebels’ defeat led to a widespread crackdown on political opponents of Cuba’s government and solidified Castro’s control of the country.
Experts have put forth a number of explanations for the invasion’s failure. Before the attack, the U.S. media had reported information about Cuban exile training camps in Guatemala, thus compromising the secrecy of the operation. In addition, just two days prior to the invasion, exile pilots flying old bomber planes provided by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had failed in an attempt to destroy the Cuban Air Force. Castro’s government also had arrested many of its opponents in Cuba so that they would not be able to join the attack, and Cuban troops greatly outnumbered the exiles.
After the exiles’ capture, the United States began negotiations with Cuba to secure their release. In December 1962, the Cuban government freed the exiles in return for baby food and medicines worth $53 million. The Bay of Pigs Museum & Library, in Miami, Florida, honors the veterans of Brigade 2506.
See also Castro, Fidel ; Kennedy, John Fitzgerald (Foreign affairs) .
