Slide 1: Overview Slide 2: The Conflict Slide 3: The Plan Slide 4: The Action Slide 5: The Result Slide 6: Gallery Slide 7: Bibliography

Date: 15 th -19 th April, 1961 Location: Bay of Pigs, Southern Cuba Result:Victory for the Cuban Government 115 Dead 1,189 Captured Estimated 2,200Casualties 51, 0001,500Strength Grayston Lynch Pepe San Roman Erneido Oliva Fidel Castro Arnaldo Ochoa Sanchez Ernesto Che Guevara Commanders Cuban MilitiaCuban exiles trained by the US Combatants Flags CubaUnited States of America US President: John F. Kennedy Cuba’s Prime Minister: Fidel Castro Back To Contents

US-Cuban tensions had grown since the Cuban president, Fidel Castro had overthrown the regime of General Fulgencio. This friction caused the US to end diplomatic relations with Cuba. Even before relations were ended however, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had begun training anti-revolutionary Cuban exiles in order to prepare for a possible invasion. Since seizing power in 1959, Fidel Castro has repeatedly prophesied US intervention which would threaten his anti-imperialist revolution. In response, he vowed to obliterate any invaders. Back To Contents

The Bay of Pigs invasion was a United States planned and funded attempt to overthrow the government of the Cuban revolutionary by armed Cuban exiles in southwest Cuba. The operation was designed in order to overthrow the Castro regime without revealing the involvement of the US. President Kennedy confers with Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev in Vienna, 1961 Back To Contents

On April 17, 1,5000 exiles armed with US weapons, landed at the Bay of Pigs on the South Coast of Cuba. The exiles hoped to gain support from the local population however they were soon met by Castro’s army who quickly stopped their actions. When the fighting finished on the 19 th of April, 100 men had been killed while the remainder had been taken prisoner. Although US president, John. F Kennedy first approved the invasion, when it became apparent that the operation would fail he refused to order air support. Within three days, the force, abandoned by Kennedy and the US Military were forced to surrender with disastrous consequences. Back To Contents

When the fighting ended on the 19 th of April, the US had suffered an embarrassing defeat. 100 exiles had been killed while the remainder were taken prisoner. Later the Cuban Government released the captured exiles after a substantial ransom payout. A 53 million dollar ransom in food and medicine was paid by the US. The Kennedy administration was blamed for inadequate air support and allowing the invasion to take place. The operation prompted great humiliation towards the Kennedy administration and significantly increased Cold War tensions. As a result the Cuban government became more wary of US intervention in Cuba. After the victory, Fidel Castro declared allegiance to the Soviets, announcing for the first time that Cuba was heading towards communism. Fidel Castro with Soviet leader Back To Contents

Books/ Encyclopedia ‘Bay of Pigs Invasion’ Family Encyclopedia of World History, The Reader’s Digest Association limited, London, 1996, pp. 65 ‘Bay of Pigs Invasion’ World Book Encyclopedia, World Book Inc, Chicago, 2001, vol 4, pp Chronicle of the 20 th Century, Penguin, Paris, 1990, pp. 863 Oxford Dictionary of World History, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000, pp. 60 The 20 th Century, JG Press Inc, USA 2000, pp453 Internet- Website Wikipedia. ‘Bay of Pigs Invasion’, 2006, (31st July 2006) The History Channel ’Bay of Pigs Invasion’, 2004, _April_17.php (6th August) CD ROM Microsoft. ‘Bay of pigs Invasion’, Encarta Encyclopedia, Microsoft Corporation, USA, 1995 Back To Contents

Contents [ hide] 1 Preparation 2 Invasion 3 Casualties 4 US Reactions and re-evaluations 5 Bay of Pigs in Conspiracy Theories5 Bay of Pigs in Conspiracy Theories 6 See also 7 Printed references 8 External links Back To Contents