yr13_ia_2007_douzmanian_b

=Summary of Evidence (500-600 words)=

In the 1960s America was facing a dilema called Cuba, an island located 90 miles off of its coast that had been taken over by revolution's leader Fidel Castro, with a government rapidly turning communist. Castro was potentially growing into becoming one of USSR’s most important ally. The CIA developed a plan within the Eisenhower Administration to train Cuban exiles for an invasion of their homeland. On March 1960, the Eisenhower administration decided to equip Cuban exiles to take action against Castro[|[1]]. The idea was officially brought up by Richard Nixon, and the famous quote “If he's not a communist (speaking of Castro), he certainly acts like one”[|[2]]. The CIA was responsible for recruiting anti- Castro rebels, and for training them in Guatemala. The plan was made of: 1) develop a strong opposition capable of taking over Cuba, once Castro was overthrown. 2) To create a Unified militia to face the Cuban army, and Castro. In February 1961, Kennedy authorized the Cuban invasion plans on the condition that US support be sufficiently disguised, which Kennedy famously explained in a speech, “First, I want to say that there will not be, under any conditions, an intervention in Cuba by the //United States Armed Forces////.//” Jose Miro Cardona, leader of the anti-Castro Cuban exiles in the United States, became head of the United Revolutionary Front, poised to take over the provisional presidency of Cuba upon the successful invasion. Despite efforts to keep the invasion plans secret, it became common knowledge in Miami. The press reported widely on events and Castro soon learned of the guerilla training camps in Guatemala. The Cuban foreign minister, Raùl Roa, brought up in a session at a UN assembly, that America had been training militia in Guatemala, and were possibly planning an attack on Cuba. The attacks happened and the first major error occurred on April 15, 1961, when eight B-26 bombers left Nicaragua to bomb Cuban airfields. The operation failed to destroy the entire arsenal of planes, leaving most of Castro's air force intact. The CIA used obsolete World War II B-26 bombers, and painted them to look like Cuban air force planes. As news broke of the attack and American complicity became apparent after photos of the repainted planes became public, President Kennedy cancelled the second air strike. On April 17, the US-backed Cuban-exile Brigade 2506 composed of 1,400 men, landed on the Bay of Pigs and immediately came under heavy fire. The planes left unharmed in the earlier air attack strafed the invaders, sank two escort ships, and destroyed half of the exile's air support. Bad weather hampered the ground force, which had to work with soggy equipment and low stores of ammunition. During the next 24 hours, Castro had 20,000 troops advancing on the beach and the Cuban Air Force continued to control the skies. Once the air support was brought down by Cuban military, the Brigade could in no way battle against the 60,000 Cuban military. The Militia was finally brought down, when all of their members ended up being either captured, or killed. 1,209 militants were captured and quickly trialed. Some of them were executed, and others were sentenced 30 years prison. Over 2,500 casualties were reported.
 * Events leading to the development the Cuba invasion plan by the US, decision takers and contributors.**
 * Attacks, Invasion and Mistakes**
 * Failure**

[|[1]] Information on Bay of Pigs; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_of_pigs_invasion [|[2]] Invasion at Bay of Pigs http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/baypigs/pigs3.htm