Bay of Pigs Invasion

The Bay of Pigs Invasion was a failed 1961 landing by Cuban exiles, organized and supported by the United States, to overthrow Fidel Castro’s government.

Brigade 2506: A force of Cuban exiles trained and equipped by the CIA for the 1961 invasion of Cuba. Its roughly 1,400 members formed the invasion force that landed at the Bay of Pigs.
Fidel Castro: Cuban revolutionary and political leader who governed Cuba from 1959 to 2008. His government was the invasion’s intended target and survived the attack.
John F. Kennedy: The 35th president of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. He approved the invasion plan and accepted public responsibility for its failure.
Operation Northwoods: A 1962 U.S. military proposal for staging deceptive incidents to justify intervention in Cuba; it was never implemented. It illustrates more extreme proposals considered after the invasion failed.
CIA: The United States foreign intelligence agency, established in 1947. The agency trained, equipped, and directed the exile force while concealing U.S. involvement.
Dwight D. Eisenhower: The 34th president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. His administration authorized the covert program that the Kennedy administration inherited.
Cuban Missile Crisis: A 1962 confrontation between the United States and the Soviet Union over Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba. The failed invasion helped persuade Castro to seek stronger Soviet protection.
Bay of Pigs: A coastal inlet on Cuba’s southern shore, known in Spanish as Bahía de Cochinos. The invasion takes its name from this inlet and its surrounding landing area.
Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces: Cuba’s military forces responsible for defending the revolutionary government. Their rapid response overwhelmed the exile force before it could establish a secure foothold.
Operation 40: A CIA-linked group formed to conduct covert operations against Cuba after the revolution. Its anti-Castro activities belonged to the broader campaign surrounding invasion planning.

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