The Rest Is Classified 94. JFK vs the CIA: Fighting in Cuba (Ep 5)
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Oct 27, 2025 The Kennedy administration ramps up its efforts against Castro after the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Wild assassination attempts, including a near miss with a frozen poison pill, highlight the CIA's desperation. The hosts explore JFK's refusal to authorize air support during the invasion, leading to chaos and heavy casualties. Discussions reveal how the failed operation set the stage for increased tensions with Cuba and the implications for U.S. foreign policy. Finally, the episode dives into the fate of captured brigade members and the political fallout that followed.
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Bay Of Pigs Redefined JFK's Priorities
- The Bay of Pigs failure made Cuba JFK's top priority and intensified his mistrust of the CIA.
- The defeat transformed policy energy into a personal and political crusade against Castro.
Coral And A Fiesta Thwarted The Landing
- Coral reefs and a beachfront fiesta derailed the planned landing and slowed the invasion's timetable.
- The brigadistas had to wade 75–100 yards over coral, exposing them to Cuban air attacks at dawn.
Air Superiority Was The Operation's Achilles' Heel
- Lack of air superiority was the decisive operational flaw that imposed a fatal time constraint.
- JFK repeatedly refused broad US combat intervention, prioritizing plausible deniability over rescue.