By time, President Kennedy was inaugurated in 1961, an amphibious assault on Cuba by a group of lightly armed exiles had already been planned. The group was financed and trained by the CIA. After just a few weeks in office, Kennedy had his first briefing on the Cuban operation along with Lyndon Johnson, Dean Rusk (Secretary of State), Robert McNamara (Defense Secretary) and the CIA. The plan called for two air strikes against Cuban air bases, and a 1400 man invasion that would disembark under cover of darkness and launch a surprise attack. To make the attack look like it came from Cuban rebel forces, the CIA had used obsolete WWII B-26 bombers painted to look like Cuban air force planes. The first attack missed many of their targets and left Castro's air force intact. When news broke of the attack and photos of the repainted U.S. planes became public, revealing American support for the invasion, President Kennedy cancelled the second air strike. Meanwhile, the amphibious assault continued. The army of exiles which landed at the Bay of Pigs, were being attacked by Castro's surviving air force. The commanding leader radioed his CIA handlers for help, but no friendly air cover was provided. With the sea at there backs, and no means for retreat the Brigade were in a desperate position. About 100 Cuban exiles were killed, 1200 were captured.
In his first address to Congress, Kennedy still had not yet been briefed. He spoke in very general terms about Cuba, unaware of the disaster that would begin his presidency.
"In Latin America, Communist agents seeking to exploit that region's peaceful revolution of hope have established a base on Cuba, only 90 miles from our shores. Our objection with Cuba is not over the people's drive for a better life. Our objection is to their domination by foreign and domestic tyrannies. Cuban social and economic reform should be encouraged. Questions of economic and trade policy can always be negotiated. But Communist domination in this Hemisphere can never be negotiated."
Interestingly, during debates with Nixon, John F. Kennedy attacked Eisenhower for doing little to stop Castro and the communist influence in Cuba. Kennedy went even as far as suggesting unilateral intervention. Nixon, had to keep quiet, knowing all the long that Eisenhower was plotting with the CIA to take such action. Sometimes, even presidential candidates are left in the dark. Or maybe not. Many believe that Allen Dulles briefed Kennedy on the situation at two different times during his campaign. And that Kennedy used this knowledge to his advantage during the campaign. But, perhaps that is just a little two conspiratorial.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=8045
http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/JFK-in-History/The-Bay-of-Pigs.aspx
http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/55759
http://www2.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/bayofpigs/chron.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/16/bay-of-pigs-anniversary_n_3093170.html
http://www.thedustyloft.com/images/magazines/life-magazine-bay-of-pigs-05101963.jpg
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