Sunday, May 8, 2011
Works Cited
"Bay of Pigs Invasion." The Columbia Encyclopedia. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. Credo Reference. Web. 09 May 2011.
"Bay of Pigs Invasion." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 6 May 2011. Web. 09 May 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_Pigs_Invasion>.
Department of State. "A Program of Covert Action Against the Castro Regime, March 16, 1960."Latin American Studies. Foreign Relations of the United States 1958-1960, Volume VI, Cuba. Web. 05 May 2011. <http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/cable/cable-3-16-60.htm>.
Holt, Chauncey. "Bay of Pigs." Spartacus Educational - Home Page. Spartacus Educational. Web. 09 May 2011. <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDbayofpigs.htm>.
Aftermath (2)
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 21, 1961
It has just come to my attention that Secretary of State Robert F. Kennedy has just released a statement about the Bay of Pigs invasion. A picture of it is copied below.
The bay of pigs was a huge disaster for the United States. Che Guevara sent a note to John F. Kennedy through secretary of the White house Richard Goodwin. It said, "Thanks for Playa Girón (Bay of Pigs). Before the invasion, the revolution was weak. Now it's stronger than ever." The Bay of Pigs actually did the exact opposite of what it was supposed to. Guevara said that before the Bay of Pigs, defectors from the regime was a huge problem. But now, they are experiencing none of it because, "[The]revolution left the opportunists, the ambitious, and the fearful far behind and now advances toward a new regime free of this class of vermin."
President Kennedy was so mad at the CIA and its incompetence that he said he wanted" to splinter the CIA in a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds."
The invasion truly was a worse case scenario for the United States. We lost in every aspect of the battle.
Aftermath
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 21, 2011
Causalities in this conflict were numbered about four thousand people. Most of them Cuban militia. They were wounded or killed by bombings or fire fights. About one hundred forty Cuban exiles were wounded or killed as well. About five Americans were killed. The main loss to America was not lost on a battle field or during an air raid, but rather it's reputation and pride are hurt. The American people who learn about this conflict are appalled and amazed that the government would do such a ignorant thing. They agree that Castro needs to be taken out, but the American people think that this was not the right way to do it. So many things went wrong throughout the planning of this attack and almost all of these could have been avoided. The biggest issue was that not only did the Cuban military and militia know about the attack, but also the entire Cuban and American population due to leaks in our administration. The people involved couldn't keep it secret enough to protect our country and our objectives. This truly marks a low point in the history of the United States.
Invasion Day 3
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 19, 2011
Day two of the invasion didn't go well for the United States either. Cuban militia and military, with the support of tanks, pushed the Brigade forces toward Girón in the early hours of the morning. We also had six bombers equipped with bombs, machine guns, and napalm (two being CIA) bomb six buses with militia, soldiers, tanks and other armor to the battle front.
Day three of the invasion was even worse then day two. Today was the final air attack on Cuba. We called it mission code named Mad Dog Flight. This included five B-26 bombers, two of which were flown by CIA agents. Two of the planes were shot down and four Americans died.
Without air support and running low on supplies (mainly ammunition) the Brigade had to retreat back to Girón. Destroyers USS Murray and USS Eaton both tried to get near the beach to get the troops out, but they were shot at and had to retreat away from the bay.
This day marks the day where the United States government is humiliated and defeated. Although we were never directly involved with the fighting, the world knows of our involvement and stupidity.
Pictured below is the USS Eaton
Invasion Day (2)
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 17, 1961
New details of the invasion have just arrived. Today at eleven, Fidel Castro issued a Statement on the countries national radio (He control all means of communication throughout the country) that said that men from the Cuban revolutionary front have invaded Cuba and have come to take away the dignities and rights of the Cuban Citizens. This was a very good move on Castro's part. One of the main ways the American Government was hoping to get most of the military support was through the Cuban people joining the force once they were in the Bay of Pigs. Now that Castro has issued a Statement that these people have come to take away rights of the Cubans, the Cuban people will turn against the invasion force and help Castro. We have also learned that Osvaldo Ramírez (the rural resistance to Castro leader) was captured and promptly executed. We also had five bombers that were ready to take off but were grounded because of bad weather and bad visibility. Many people in the administration have said that these were excuses to hide the fear of anti- air craft weapons that the Cubans had stationed around the perimeter of the Island. The first day of attacks has gone horribly wrong.
Pictured below is a picture of the invasion.
Invasion Day (1)
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 17, 1961
Details from the invasion are coming in waves to me now but this is what I know: At about midnight, a diversion was sent to the North Shore of Cuba. Castro was lured out of the Bay of Pigs as some troops were moved. Then, at about the same time, a force of about one thousand four hundred Cubans in four ships landed in the Bay of Pigs. They had weapons, tanks, and other landing materials. Other smaller vessels carried troops over to other beaches near the Bay of Pigs. Some of the ships did not make it to the coast though because of unforeseen coral reefs in the area. The few militia left remaining at the Bay of Pigs successfully alerted Castro and his men of the invasion force at the Bay of Pigs. At about six thirty, three Cuban airplanes damaged the vessels leaving about 700 men without weapons or supplies. At about 7:30, about 180 paratroopers were dropped with heavy equipment and supplies. This equipment and supplies got lost in the swamps and the paratroopers were unable to block the road leading to the Bay of Pigs. The troops were pounded with rockets and tanks as their forces started to wear down. I will provide more details as they become available.
Pictured below is a picture of Castro watching the Bay of Pigs invasion.
http://www.miamiherald.com/multimedia/news/castro/bay.html
Reactions to the Bombings
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 15, 2011
Today, at a United Nations Conference, the Cuban Foreign Minister Raúl Roa tried to accuse the United States for aggressive actions against Cuba (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk ). The United States ambassador to the United Nations Adlai Stevenson stated that no American under any circumstances intervened in Cuban affairs including but not limited to the bombing on Cuban air bases. He stated that the government would do anything in its power to make sure that no American citizen would carry out any aggressive actions against Cuba or its people. Stevenson said that the attacks carried out that day were Cuban Defects and he had showed pictures to the United Nations to prove this. President Kennedy latter supported Stevenson and everything he had said adding, "I have emphasized before that this was a struggle of Cuban patriots against a Cuban dictator. While we could not be expected to hide our sympathies, we made it repeatedly clear that the armed forces of this country would not intervene in any way" ( http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk). I think that the United States supplied the Cubans with the means to carry out this attack. Our government used Cubans just for the reason of denying any involvement.
Deception flight
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 15, 2011
Another decoy bombing raid just happened. About ninety minutes after the bombing raids, another B-26 bomber took off from Puerto Cabezas and started heading towards Cuba. But right before it reached Cuba, it turned and started to head north to Key West, Florida. This bomber was equipped with the same missiles, bombs, and machines guns as the other bombers. It also had the same exterior paintings with the markings of the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria (FAR). This flight was meant to scare the Cubans into thinking there was another attack coming. I do not really understand the purpose other than the one stated above. Anti- aircraft weapons were fired at the planes bombing earlier today, and only one plane crashed, killing both of the pilots (both of Cuban origins) and then crashing into the Gulf of Mexico. I think that this fake attack is a waste of time and supplies. I think that an invasion of Cuba needs to happen within a couple of days so the Government doesn't get their militia and military on the same page. We need to use the Cuban disorganization to our advantage. An attack needs to happen soon to avoid a disaster.
Air Attacks
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 15, 1961
Today, air attacks on Cuban airfields took place. First, a divisionary invasion force made it's way to Cuba. The invasion force left from Key West Florida under a Costa Rica ensign. The ship's name was La Playa or Santa Ana. These troops left from Key West and approached the Cuban Island. The government also had placed several Navy Destroyers at Guantanamo bay to help with the deception. When movement of the Cuban militia was reported, the Santa Ana turned back and docked at Key West. At about six o'clock local time, eight Douglas B-26B Invader bombers (Below) in three groups simultaneously attacked three Cuban airfields all located near the capital, Havana. These planes had been painted with markings of FAR (Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria) or the air force of the Cuban government. The bombers were equipped with bombs, missiles, and machine guns. The bombings reportedly destroyed all but seven useable aircraft and six pilots. These bombings were in preparation for the main invasion which should follow shortly. These attacks are the first sign that the invasion date is nearing. The invasion should happen within the next week or so because the Cuban military force is weak. The element of surprise has been used and now all that remains is the secret of where the invasion is to take place.
Prior warnings of the Invasion.
Actual Date: May 8, 2011
Historical Date: April 13, 1961
It has just come to my attention that plans for the invasion have been leaked. Intelligence tells us that an English speaking broadcast system has just announced that an invasion of Cuba in eminent and will happen in a week's time. The source of this leak may have come from either troops in Miami talking, or a person inside the CIA who told the Cuban Government. Whatever it is, the attack cannot possibly succeed without an adequate amount of secrecy and the element of surprise. The leak must be fixed and the proper measures must be taken to either crush any rumors about the attack or abandon previous plans completely. President Kennedy must make some sort of change to the existing plans if he wants the government to have the secrecy that would be needed to complete the mission. IF this invasion were to continue as planned and the invasion not be successful as a result of it, the American Government would completely be at fault for their own demise and foolishness. I truly hope that President Kennedy makes the correct decision not only for the reputation of himself and his government but the national security of the American people.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Bay of Pigs
Actual Date: May 7, 2011
Historical Date: April 6, 1961
I have just learned that a spot has been chosen to invade. The place is called La Batalla de Girón or the Bay of Pigs translated from Spanish to English. The bay is located on the Southwestern end of the island. The mouth is a prominent feature and goes about You can see an image of where the Bay of Pigs is located in relation to the rest of Cuba below.
The Bay of Pigs should be a good spot for the invasion force to start. There are a lot of small towns located around this bay. When news of the invasion spreads, we are hoping that anti- Castro Cubans pick up their arms to help the troops to overthrow the government and restore balance to Cuba. Because of Cuba's proximity to the United States, we believe that Cuba is an important part of guaranteeing that our citizens remain safe and out of harm's way. If the invasion is successful, we will be able to place a competent leader into their government. We need to stop Communism and the spread of Soviet influence. This invasion could either be a precursor to war, or a giant step in avoiding one completely.
Friday, May 6, 2011
An invasion
Actual Date: May 6, 2011
Historical date: April 5th, 1961
It has just come to my attention that the CIA has been recruiting anti- Castro exiles from Cuba in the Miami area. The CIA has, for about a year, taken these ant- Castro exiles and assessing and training them in various training facilities in Southern Florida, one of them being Homestead AFB. They have also been training these exiles to be good gorilla fighters .Infantry training has been carried out on a CIA base code named JMTrax. These exiles named themselves the Brigade 2506 or Brigada Asulto 2506. We have also given these anti- Castro exiles some weapons and other materials they would need for an invasion of Cuba, such as planes. I think that this tactic of training Cubans to take out Castro has many upsides and flaws. One of the major upsides is that the United States Government is not directly invading Cuba with troops or with airstrikes. We are just training and supplying military for the assault on Cuba. We could deny involvement completely if we really wanted to. One of the major draw backs is the potential for Soviet reaction. This could call for the Soviets to retaliate with war or strikes that would inevitably lead to war.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
The Trinidad Invasion
Actually Date: May 3, 2011
Historical Date: April 4, 1961
Today, President Kennedy recently declined an invasion of a beach Trinidad, Cuba. This plan would have involved landing seven hundred and fifty men on a beach near the port of Trinidad, Cuba. The CIA had informed President Kennedy that this was a hotbed for Castro's operations. They also said that this was a good area to land an invasion on because the Escambary and Sancti Mountains. They also informed the President that the force would be able to hold off for a couple of days while more troops landed to block major roads leading to the city. They would also recruit the Cubans that were upset with the government into their army. They predict that their force of seven hundred and fifty would double within five days. Kennedy presented this plan to his Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). The JCS said that even with four days of air cover, the people of Trinidad joining in with American troops and the successful meeting of guerillas in the Escambary mountains, the overall possibly of success was about thirty percent. Therefore, they could not advise Kennedy to go through with the plan. A new plan would have to be devised in order to overthrow the Castro regime. (http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/COLDbayofpigs.htm)
A Matter of National Security
Actual Date: May 3, 2011
Historical Date: March 17, 1960
History has changed today as President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a document that stated: "Objective: The purpose of the program outlined herein is to bring about the replacement of the Castro regime with one more devoted to the true interests of the Cuban people and more acceptable to the U.S. in such a manner as to avoid any appearance of U.S. intervention" (latinamericanstudies.org). This is a monumental move by our government. Cuba is of great interest to the United States not only because of their political instability, but also because of their proximity to the southern coast of Florida, which resides ninety miles away at some points. The Castro regime posses a great threat to our nation. The Soviets cannot be allowed to advance any further. Communism is closer then we think, and with some recent events taken into account, we need to eradicate the threat to freedom and the United States.
Luckily, CIA director Allen Dunes is confident in the CIA's ability to overthrow the Castro Regime. He is working on proposing a plan to invade Cuba and liberate the civilians by killing Castro and overthrowing his government. The communist movement into our backyard must be halted and an invasion must be the only way to accomplish this.
Disclaimer
“This is a student project created for a United States History class. The posts in this blog are of historical nature about a specific event in U.S. History. This blog deals with the Bay of Pigs Invasion. This is not meant to be expert scholarship and there may be errors. This is a first attempt at learning something in more depth. There has been a genuine effort to properly cite all pictures, quotes, information gathered in this research project. For a list of sources see the final blog.”
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