Fifty years ago this weekend, the Central Intelligence Agency launched a covert attack on Cuba in what became known as The Bay of Pigs. The three day assault, which was carried out under the auspices of a Cuban rebel group, was a fiasco. The rebels were captured and killed, along with a handful of CIA intelligence officers. It was just three months after John F. Kennedy took over the White House, and while the plan had been initiated under Dwight D. Eisenhower, it was Kennedy who signed off on the operation. “Victory has a hundred fathers, and defeat is an orphan,” President Kennedy admitted to the press days later – without acknowledging the full extent of the CIA’s actions. But while his approval ratings shot up, the Bay of Pigs were the crucial backdrop for Kennedy’s caution during the Cuban Missile Crisis – and have affected to this day how presidents deal with covert intelligence operations.
Joining The Takeaway is Evan Thomas, author of “Robert Kennedy: His Life,” who is currently working on a biography of President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
At The World, we believe strongly that human-centered journalism is at the heart of an informed public and a strong democracy. We see democracy and journalism as two sides of the same coin. If you care about one, it is imperative to care about the other.
Every day, our nonprofit newsroom seeks to inform and empower listeners and hold the powerful accountable. Neither would be possible without the support of listeners like you. If you believe in our work, will you give today? We need your help now more than ever!