3. Bay of Pigs

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After the Revolution American property in Cuba was seized and contacts were opened up with the Soviet Union. In response to this President Eisenhower approved a covert action plan against Cuba designed to overthrow Castro. His plan includes a limited embargo which includes sugar and oil and the organisation of a parliamentary force of Cuban exiles to invade the island.

When John F. Kennedy became President, he had to decide whether or not to go through with the attack. He decided in favour of it, largely because if he had called off the attack, there would have been more than a thousand armed, trained exiles who would complain and bring the matter under the public eye.

The intent of the attack was to take a beachhead, establish a government, and gain U.S. recognition. They thought that the people would then rise up and fight with them, overthrowing Fidel Castro. As Castro expected, the attack began with an air raid. Had he not hidden and ungrouped his planes, the small Cuban air force could have been completely lost. The attacking American planes killed seven people destroyed several Cuban planes.

Then the invasion, with 1,297 troops, began. As the invaders began to leave their boats, the Cuban air force attacked. They sunk two ships, cutting off supplies for the invaders. The other ships carrying backup supplies quickly left the area fearing the same fate and never returned.

At that point, military leaders in the United States asked Kennedy for permission to use the U.S. air force to destroy the Cuban army's planes. He only permitted them to give cover to planes flown by exiles, which arrived before the U.S. Navy planes, and were consequently shot down.

The invading forces were surrounded and were running out of supplies. They tried to escape back into the sea, but the US navy had left the area. Most of them were taken as prisoners.

Though the aid and training given to the attacking exiles was substantial, they suffered total defeat and created a humiliating episode for the United States. Not only was the operation a military disaster, but it also failed its initial objective. In the end, the attack only increased Cubans' support of their leader.