Alternate title: "Mission accomplished!"
Background
After the Cuban Revolution in 1959, the Caribbean island nation quickly landed on the American shit list. This was bad news for Castro, since Cuba was right by Florida. President JFK approved a scheme that had been under development since the prior Eisenhower administration. The plan involved CIA-trained Cuban exiles with US air and naval support painted to look Cuban, with the eventual goal of regime change.
Landing in Trinidad
The first landing took place in Trinidad in April 1961 and was a big crapstorm, with much of the Cuban exiles killed. However, remaining survivors managed to flee to the Escambray Mountains, where they linked up with right-wing guerrillas who were already fighting against the Cuban government. From there, they conducted acts of sabotage.
Meanwhile, the US government and media spread atrocity propaganda against the Cuban government. These claims included mutilations, the burning of villages, mass killing of farmers, and systemic mass rape. These reports were later found to either be greatly exaggerated or outright fabricated. But at the time, the propaganda was widely accepted and succeeded in rallying public opinion in favor of an intervention.
Just over a month after the Trinidad landing, Cuban authorities seized a US cargo vessel they claimed was supplying anti-government guerrilas. In response, America requested a UN intervention to “restore order” and “protect prosperity,” arguing that the escalating “Cuban crisis” threatened to destabilize the entire Caribbean. The proposal was rejected and ultimately vetoed in the Security Council by the Soviets.
Aerial campaign and invasion
In response, the US said "fuck it, we'll do it anyways."
The U.S. Air Force then began an extensive bombing campaign, codenamed Operation Trogon. Most of Cuba’s military (and to a lesser extent civilian infrastructure) was either destroyed or heavily damaged. Alongside the aerial bombardment, the CIA conducted targeted assassinations. Most notably was Osvaldo Dorticós Torrado, who was killed when his residence was bombed.
Operation Trogon continued for five months. Anticipating an eventual invasion, Fidel Castro ordered that the military give weapons to Cuba's civilians, with instructions for using guns and explosives being broadcasted over the radio. He also declared a general amnesty for all prisoners, which included both political prisoners and common criminals.
When US troops landed in Cuba by late November, they were met with total chaos. Armed civilians were common, violent crime was rampant, and looting had become routine. This environment created significant difficulties for advancing American troops, which helped Fidel Castro and others to escape Havana. By December, the United States had taken control of most of the country, including the capital city Havana.
Occupation
After the invasion, Cuba would be occupied by the Inter-American Peace Force (IAPF), which included the United States, Brazil, Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. The occupation installed a provisional government called the Democratic Revolutionary Government, with José Miró Cardona as president.
After the fall of Havana, President Kennedy claimed victory in a speech, declaring “mission accomplished." However, this moment of celebration would end up aging horribly in the long run.
The initial success proved to be premature, with Fidel Castro and Che Guevara would launch an insurgency from the Sierra Maestra.
To be continued...