Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961. Key Questions Key Questions What was the Bay of Pigs invasion? What was the Bay of Pigs invasion? Why did the US want to invade.

Bay of Pigs Invasion Bay of Pigs Invasion 1961 1961

Key Questions Key Questions

What was the Bay of Pigs invasion? What was the Bay of Pigs invasion? Why did the US want to invade Cuba? Why did the US want to invade Cuba? Who were the key figures involved? Who were the key figures involved? How did the USSR respond? How did the USSR respond? How did the Bay of Pigs invasion How did the Bay of Pigs invasion

contribute to the Cuban missile crisis? contribute to the Cuban missile crisis?

What was the Bay of Pigs What was the Bay of Pigs

Invasion?Invasion? 1414thth April 1961 1200 Cuban April 1961 1200 Cuban

exiles trained and armed by the exiles trained and armed by the CIA invade Cuba at the Bay of CIA invade Cuba at the Bay of

Pigs.Pigs.

The US hoped that the The US hoped that the Cuban people would join Cuban people would join in with their plans and in with their plans and

overthrow Castro.overthrow Castro.

After 72 hours the After 72 hours the invasion was over. 200 invasion was over. 200 of the invaders were of the invaders were killed and 1,000 were killed and 1,000 were

captured.captured.

The Bay of Pigs The Bay of Pigs Invasion was part Invasion was part

of Operation of Operation Mongoose.Mongoose.

Watch the following newsreel about Watch the following newsreel about the Bay of Pigs Invasion and the Bay of Pigs Invasion and answers the following questions.answers the following questions.

1. What happened in April 1961?1. What happened in April 1961?2. Who carried out the attacks? 2. Who carried out the attacks? 3. What did Fidel Castro want other 3. What did Fidel Castro want other

countries to do?countries to do?4. What did Stevenson say at the 4. What did Stevenson say at the

UN? Why did he say this?UN? Why did he say this?5. What evidence is there that this 5. What evidence is there that this

source is biased?source is biased?

Click to PlayClick to Play

Why did the US want to invade Why did the US want to invade

Cuba?Cuba? Before 1959 Cuba under the Before 1959 Cuba under the dictatorship of General dictatorship of General Fulgencio Batista. He was Fulgencio Batista. He was supported by the US supported by the US government because he government because he allowed American businesses allowed American businesses to operate in Cuba. to operate in Cuba. Castro wanted to nationalise Castro wanted to nationalise American businesses which American businesses which exploited the Cuban people. In exploited the Cuban people. In other words he wanted the other words he wanted the economy to be run by Cuba economy to be run by Cuba and not by private American and not by private American businesses. businesses.

In January 1959 Fidel Castro In January 1959 Fidel Castro with his Cuban with his Cuban Revolutionary Force, which Revolutionary Force, which included Ernesto Che included Ernesto Che Guevara, overthrew Batista. Guevara, overthrew Batista.

The US did not like the way that The US did not like the way that Castro wanted to run Cuba. They Castro wanted to run Cuba. They thought that his ideas were like thought that his ideas were like those of a communist regime so those of a communist regime so the US wanted to regain control of the US wanted to regain control of Cuba and its economy. To do this Cuba and its economy. To do this they needed to overthrow Castro.they needed to overthrow Castro.

Operation Mongoose:Operation Mongoose: The Plan to overthrow CastroThe Plan to overthrow Castro

Remember the US government did not want Castro Remember the US government did not want Castro to have power in Cuba because they thought he was to have power in Cuba because they thought he was a communist in their ‘backyard’. a communist in their ‘backyard’.

In 1960 Dwight Eisenhower, the president of the US, In 1960 Dwight Eisenhower, the president of the US, supported CIA plans to overthrow Castro. supported CIA plans to overthrow Castro.

The CIA’s plan to overthrow Castro was named The CIA’s plan to overthrow Castro was named OPERATION MONGOOSE. OPERATION MONGOOSE.

President Kennedy also supported the plan.President Kennedy also supported the plan.

OPERATIONMONGOOSE

Assassination Attempts

Sabotage

Training Cubans

Propaganda

Spies

How did the US attempt to overthrow How did the US attempt to overthrow

Castro?Castro? Destabilising the Cuban economyDestabilising the Cuban economy

By 1960 the US had refused to buy Cuban sugar, the country’s largest export, which threatened to destabilise the Cuban economy.

In October 1959 U.S. military aircraft bombed Cuban sugar mills.

Counterrevolutionaries also set light to cats and put them into field of sugar cane to destroy crops.

14th April 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion.

How did the US attempt to How did the US attempt to overthrow Castro?overthrow Castro?

Assassinating Fidel CastroAssassinating Fidel CastroIn August 1960, the CIA recruited members of

Chicago mafia to assassinate Castro.

In February 1961 they attempted to poison Castro's favourite Cuban cigars with botulism.

Task:Task: You have been asked by a publisher You have been asked by a publisher of an encyclopaedia to of an encyclopaedia to write a paragraphwrite a paragraph summarising summarising whatwhat the Bay of Pigs invasion the Bay of Pigs invasion was, was, whenwhen it happened, it happened, whywhy it happened. it happened. Use some of the words below to help you.Use some of the words below to help you.

General Batista Fidel Castro USA General Batista Fidel Castro USA Nationalisation Bay of Pigs Fear Nationalisation Bay of Pigs Fear Communism Communism

How did the USSR react to the invasion?How did the USSR react to the invasion? Source A On April 18, President Kennedy received a letter from

Khrushchev saying:

Kennedy cancelled further US support for the invasion. The US was humiliated and Kennedy appeared to be a weak and inexperienced leader to the whole world.

Discussion point: How could the USSR have helped Cuba from a future attack from the USA? How do you think the US would have reacted?

Source A: “It is a secret to no one that the armed bands invading this country were trained, equipped and armed in the United States of America..... It is still not late to avoid the irreparable. The government of the USA still has the possibility of not allowing the flame of war ignited by interventions in Cuba to grow into an incomparable conflagration.... As far as the Soviet Union is concerned, there should be no mistake about our position: We will render the Cuban people and their government all necessary help to repel an armed attack on Cuba.”

Main events surrounding the Bay of Main events surrounding the Bay of Pigs.Pigs. Put these events in order: Put these events in order:

A.A. April 1961 - 1,200 Cuban exiles armed and trained by April 1961 - 1,200 Cuban exiles armed and trained by the US invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. the US invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs.

B.B. 1959 - General Batista is dictator of Cuba.1959 - General Batista is dictator of Cuba.C.C. 1959 - 61 - Fidel Castro nationalises American owned 1959 - 61 - Fidel Castro nationalises American owned

businesses in Cuba. businesses in Cuba. D.D. The US believe that Castro is a communist so they plan The US believe that Castro is a communist so they plan

to overthrow Castro. to overthrow Castro. E.E. January 1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista’s January 1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista’s

dictatorship. dictatorship. F.F. Cuba were now very fearful of another American Cuba were now very fearful of another American

invasion. invasion. G.G. The Bay of Pigs invasion failed. The US was embarrassed The Bay of Pigs invasion failed. The US was embarrassed

and President Kennedy looked a weak and and President Kennedy looked a weak and inexperienced leader.inexperienced leader.

Main events surrounding the Main events surrounding the Bay of Pigs invasion 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion 1961 (correct (correct order) order)

B. 1959 - General Batista is dictator of Cuba.B. 1959 - General Batista is dictator of Cuba.E. January 1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista’s E. January 1959 - Fidel Castro overthrows Batista’s

dictatorship. dictatorship. C. 1959 –61 - Fidel Castro nationalises American owned C. 1959 –61 - Fidel Castro nationalises American owned

businesses in Cuba. businesses in Cuba. D. The US believe that Castro is a communist so they plan D. The US believe that Castro is a communist so they plan

to overthrow Castro. to overthrow Castro. A. April 1961 - 1,200 Cuban exiles armed and trained by A. April 1961 - 1,200 Cuban exiles armed and trained by

the US invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. the US invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs. G. The Bay of Pigs invasion failed. The US was embarrassed G. The Bay of Pigs invasion failed. The US was embarrassed

and President Kennedy looked a weak and and President Kennedy looked a weak and inexperienced leader.inexperienced leader.

F. Cuba were now very fearful of another American F. Cuba were now very fearful of another American invasion. invasion.