The Bay of Pigs invasion (17 - 19 April 1961)

A short historical documentary about the Bay of Pigs Invasion, that took place in April 1961. This was a failed landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba by Cuban exiles of the Brigade 2506, trained by CIA, who opposed Fidel Castro's Cuban Revolution. The invasion was a failure of the American president Kennedy, that solidified Castro's role as a national hero, and pushed Cuba closer to the Soviet Union, which led to the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962.

On 4 April 1961, President Kennedy approved the Bay of Pigs plan (also known as Operation Zapata). The landings were to take place at Playa Girón (code-named Blue Beach), Playa Larga (code-named Red Beach), and Caleta Buena Inlet (code-named Green Beach). The plan fell apart almost immediately. The landing force established a beachhead, penetrating up to 10 kilometers into the mainland, taking the towns of San Blas and El Rincón, before it was met with unexpectedly rapid counterattacks from Castro's military. The tiny Cuban air force sank most of the exiles' supply ships (USS Houston and Rio Escondido), and the US refused to provide necessary air support. The operation ended with a total defeat for the members of Brigade 2506.

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Voice & editing: Nicolae Bondar (myself)

Music: Pablo, by The Mini Vandals, downloaded from YouTube Audio Library

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