What Went Wrong During the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=1028
General Information
Source:
Creator:
NBC News
Chet Huntley
Resource Type:
Copyright:
Event Date:
Air/Publish Date:
04/17/1961
02/04/1964
Copyright Date:
Clip Length
Video News Report
NBCUniversal Media,
LLC.
1964
00:01:59
Description
This 1964 NBC News special report looks at the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba, which the United
States planned and financed.
Keywords
Cuba, Bay of Pigs, Cold War, Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy, Cuban Missile Crisis, Communism, Soviet
Union, Exile, CIA, Havana, Military Advisors, Air Support, Resistance, Invasion
Citation
MLA
"What Went Wrong During the Bay of Pigs Invasion?" Chet Huntley, correspondent. NBC News.
NBCUniversal Media. 4 Feb. 1964. NBC Learn. Web. 16 April 2016
© 2008-2016 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 1 of 2
APA
Huntley, C. (Reporter). 1964, February 4. What Went Wrong During the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
[Television series episode]. NBC News. Retrieved from
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=1028
CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE
"What Went Wrong During the Bay of Pigs Invasion?" NBC News, New York, NY: NBC Universal,
02/04/1964. Accessed Sat Apr 16 2016 from NBC Learn:
https://highered.nbclearn.com/portal/site/HigherEd/browse/?cuecard=1028
Transcript
What Went Wrong During the Bay of Pigs Invasion?
CHET HUNTLEY reporting:
The failure at the Bay of Pigs was not merely the failure of the Cuban exiles. It was a failure of United
States policy, which led to a failure of United States power. Clearly the United States had the naked power
to destroy Castro, but it could not ignore world opinion and use this power. It could not risk the
repercussions that might follow the slaughter of Cubans and the occupation of Cuba by United States
forces, could not risk the possible escalation to nuclear war. One alternative that suggested itself was
indirect intervention, carried out secretly under CIA supervision.
Monday, April 17th, Bay of Pigs, Cuba. The first units of the brigade reach the beach without opposition.
In Havana, Castro begins to react to the invasion. But in the first hours, the brigade pushes inland, Castro
has not yet been able to bring up his tanks and heavy guns. Over the beach are 12 B-26’s providing air
cover; they are attacked by the free Castro jets, five of them are shot down. The brigade’s two supply
ships and its communication ship are sunk. Within a few minutes, the men on the beach have lost their air
cover and their supply. By afternoon, Castro is pressing the brigade hard.
They say they have been promised air support by their American advisors. Washington says none was
ever promised. At 3:45 p.m. Wednesday April 19th, resistance ends. The American planned, financed,
framed and backed invasion of Cuba is now a total failure. This was probably the low point, the worst
moment for John F. Kennedy and his three years in the White House. As president, he took full
responsibility for this failure of United States policy, this misuse of United States power. Although the
total blame was clearly not his.
© 2008-2016 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Page 2 of 2