The Bay of Pigs Invasion was an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro by a CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles. The invasion had
the support of the U.S. government and was launched less than three months after
John F. Kennedy assumed the presidency of the United States. The main invasion took place at a beach named Playa Giron, located at the mouth of the bay (see map below). The invading combatants were defeated by Cuban armed forces within three days.