GROUP 8: The President’s Daily Bulletin – The Bay of Pigs Timeline 1959: Revolutionary Fidel Castro leads a guerilla army into Cuba to overthrow General Fulgencio Batista. Batista is considered an ally to the United States because he allows American businesses and wealthy individuals to own Cuban plantations, cattle ranches, mines and utilities. Castro does not support this. March, 1960 President Eisenhower approves a CIA plan to train 1,400 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba, which he hopes would inspire ordinary Cubans to overthrow Castro and reinstate a government friendly to the US. Cuban intelligence learns of the training camps where exiles are planning the invasion in Guatemala. May, 1960 Castro establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union. US responds by prohibiting the importation of Cuban sugar; Soviet Union steps in to buy Cuban sugar. January, 1961 John F. Kennedy is inaugurated. Shortly thereafter he is briefed on the planned exile invasion; he authorizes the invasion plan, but argues that the US’ role should be kept secret. CIA plans to land the exiles at the Bay of Pigs, a swampy area on the southern coast of Cuba. April 15, 1961 To begin the invasion and provide cover for exiles, the US sends eight bombers, repainted to look like Cuban air force planes, to bomb Cuban airfields. The bombers miss many targets and pictures are released showing that the attacking planes are indeed US bombers repainted to avoid suspicion. April 17, 1961 1,400 Cuban exiles land at Bay of Pigs and take heavy casualties from the Cuban air force and army. Castro orders 20,000 troops to attack the invaders and his air force to attack from the sky. April 19, 1961 Kennedy orders unmarked American planes to support, but they are late and shot down by the Cubans. More than 100 exiles are killed and close to 1,200 surrender to Castro. Castro imprisons them for 20 months. The US eventually pays for their release with $53, 000,000 worth of baby food and medicine
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GROUP 8: The President’s Daily Bulletin – The Bay of Pigs
Timeline
1959:
Revolutionary Fidel Castro leads a guerilla army into Cuba to overthrow General Fulgencio Batista.
Batista is considered an ally to the United States because he allows American businesses and wealthy
individuals to own Cuban plantations, cattle ranches, mines and utilities. Castro does not support this.
March, 1960
President Eisenhower approves a CIA plan to train 1,400 Cuban exiles to invade Cuba, which he hopes
would inspire ordinary Cubans to overthrow Castro and reinstate a government friendly to the US.
Cuban intelligence learns of the training camps where exiles are planning the invasion in Guatemala.
May, 1960
Castro establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.
US responds by prohibiting the importation of Cuban sugar; Soviet Union steps in to buy Cuban sugar.
January, 1961
John F. Kennedy is inaugurated. Shortly thereafter he is briefed on the planned exile invasion; he
authorizes the invasion plan, but argues that the US’ role should be kept secret. CIA plans to land the
exiles at the Bay of Pigs, a swampy area on the southern coast of Cuba.
April 15, 1961
To begin the invasion and provide cover for exiles, the US sends eight bombers, repainted to look like
Cuban air force planes, to bomb Cuban airfields. The bombers miss many targets and pictures are
released showing that the attacking planes are indeed US bombers repainted to avoid suspicion.
April 17, 1961
1,400 Cuban exiles land at Bay of Pigs and take heavy casualties from the Cuban air force and army.
Castro orders 20,000 troops to attack the invaders and his air force to attack from the sky.
April 19, 1961
Kennedy orders unmarked American planes to support, but they are late and shot down by the Cubans.
More than 100 exiles are killed and close to 1,200 surrender to Castro. Castro imprisons them for 20
months. The US eventually pays for their release with $53, 000,000 worth of baby food and medicine
BAY OF PIGS INVASION – PRIMARY SOURCE 1
Source: Statement by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy on Cuba and Neutrality Laws, April 20, 1961.
Source: National Archives, ARC 193990
BAY OF PIGS INVASION – PRIMARY SOURCE 2
White House Memorandum (TOP SECRET), [Proposal for Command Operation in Cuba, November 1, 1961.
Source: NSA Archive at George Washington University, http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/bayofpigs/19611101.pdf