THIS MONTH IN HISTORYANNIVERSARIES
17 APRIL 1961Bay of Pigs fiasco
fails to oust Castro
CIA attempt to spark popular
revolt in Cuba ends in disasterIt was in the small hours that Gregorio
Moreira realised something was happen-
ing. High in the darkness above the Cuban
coastline, he saw a flare, “like a candle in the
sky”. So Moreira, a fisherman, called his
brothers, and they grabbed their rifles and
scurried down to the beach. Then they waited.29 APRIL 1944
British special agent Nancy Wake parachutes into the
Auvergne to act as a go-between with the Resistance.
Finding her tangled in a tree, a local man hopes “all the
trees in France bear such beautiful fruit this year”.
“Don’t give me that French shit,” replies Wake.ALAMY/AKG-IMAGES/BRIDGEMANAt last, at about four in the morning, they saw
shapes moving ahead of them. Then they
started shooting.
The Bay of Pigs invasion, in which some
1,400 exiles landed on the island of Cuba in an
attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro, had been
long in the making. The plan had been hatched
by the CIA, who were convinced that with just
a little nudge, the Cuban people would rise up
to overthrow their communist masters. In the
spring of 1960, President Eisenhower gave his
blessing, and the CIA began training Cuban
exiles on the beaches of Guatemala.
Eisenhower’s successor as president,
John F Kennedy, was not entirely sure about the
plan. But he had promised to wage the Cold
War with greater vigour, so it seemed a perfect
fit. In February 1961, Kennedy gave the formal
go-ahead. And shortly after midnight onMonday 17 April, at Playa Girón on the
Bay of Pigs, the operation began.
Unfortunately for the exiles, the whole thing
was a disaster from start to finish. Rumours of
the invasion had already spread to the island
from Miami, and the Cuban militia were quickly
on the scene. Within hours the invaders had
come under heavy fire, two of their ships had
been sunk and the sky was thick with fighter
planes. Far from storming inland to a huge
popular welcome, the exiles were bogged
down on the beaches. As Castro’s troops
raced to the scene, where was the promised
US support?
Within two days it was all over. The Amer-
icans managed to rescue a handful of the exiles
by sea, but the rest were killed or captured.
Kennedy had been humiliated. And Castro?
He stayed in power for the next 47 years.10 APRIL 491
After the death of Eastern Roman emperor Zeno
on 9 April, crowds swarm Constantinople chanting
for a successor with more orthodox beliefs. A few
days later, Zeno’s widow chooses administrator
Anastasius (right) as her husband and new emperor.Cuban militiamen head to their
defensive positions on 17 April- They would humiliate
Washington by easily repelling
the US-backed invasion force
THIS MONTH IN HISTORY
ANNIVERSARIES
17 APRIL 1961BayofPigs fiascofails to oust CastroCIAattemptto sparkpopularrevolt in Cuba ends in disasterItwas in the smallhoursthat Gregorio
Moreirarealisedsomethingwas happen-
ing.High in the darknessabovethe Cuban
coastline,he saw a flare,“like a candlein the
sky”.So Moreira,a fisherman,calledhis
brothers,and they grabbedtheir rifles and
scurried down to the beach. Then they waited.29 APRIL 1944
BritishspecialagentNancyWakeparachutesinto the
Auvergneto act as a go-betweenwith the Resistance.
Findingher tangledin a tree, a local man hopes“all the
treesin Francebear such beautifulfruit this year”.
“Don’t give me that French shit,” replies Wake.ALAMY/AKG-IMAGES/BRIDGEMANAt last, at aboutfour in the morning,they saw
shapesmovingahead of them. Then they
startedshooting.
TheBay of Pigs invasion,in whichsome
1,400exileslandedon the islandof Cubain an
attemptto overthrowFidel Castro,had been
long in the making.The plan had beenhatched
by the CIA, who wereconvincedthat with just
a little nudge,the Cubanpeoplewouldrise up
to overthrowtheir communistmasters.In the
springof 1960,PresidentEisenhowergave his
blessing,and the CIA begantrainingCuban
exileson the beachesof Guatemala.
Eisenhower’ssuccessoras president,
JohnF Kennedy,was not entirelysure aboutthe
plan. But he had promisedto wagethe Cold
War with greatervigour,so it seemeda perfect
fit. In February1961,Kennedygave the formal
go-ahead. And shortly after midnight onMonday17 April,at PlayaGirónon the
Bayof Pigs, the operationbegan.
Unfortunatelyfor the exiles,the wholething
was a disasterfrom start to finish.Rumoursof
the invasionhad alreadyspreadto the island
from Miami,and the Cubanmilitiawerequickly
on the scene.Withinhoursthe invadershad
comeunderheavyfire, two of their shipshad
beensunk and the sky was thick with fighter
planes.Far from storminginlandto a huge
popularwelcome,the exileswerebogged
downon the beaches.As Castro’stroops
racedto the scene, where was the promised
USsupport?
Withintwo days it was all over. The Amer-
icansmanagedto rescuea handfulof the exiles
bysea, but the rest werekilledor captured.
Kennedyhad beenhumiliated.And Castro?
He stayed in power for the next 47 years.10 APRIL 491
Afterthe deathof EasternRomanemperorZeno
on 9 April,crowdsswarmConstantinoplechanting
for a successorwith moreorthodoxbeliefs.A few
days later, Zeno’swidowchoosesadministrator
Anastasius (right) as her husband and new emperor.Cubanmilitiamenheadto their
defensivepositionson 17 April
1961.Theywouldhumiliate
Washingtonbyeasilyrepelling
the US-backed invasion force