“13.11.59 As part of a series of maneuvers aimed at hindering Cuba’s purchases of the necessary weapons to defend itself against counterrevolutionary activity and air raids, the U.S. government pressured the British government in order to prevent it from selling 15 combat aircraft to Cuba.”
“Dwight D. Eisenhower (R), Timeline,” Cuba versus Blockade: Cuban People’s Website, 2007
“EARLY DEC, 1959: Rogelio Gonzalez Corso, Rafael Rivas Vazquez, Carlos Rodriguez Santana, Jorge Sotus and Sergio Sanjenis meet in Mexico and decide to create the Movimiento de Recuperación Revolutionaries (MRR), or Revolutionary Recovery Movement. They designate Angel Ros as secretary general of the new organization; he leaves for the United States to confer with Ricardo Lorie other Cuban exiles. [The 5th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“DEC 11, 1959: J.C. King, head of the CIA’s Western Division, writes a memorandum for [CIA Official] Richard Bissell, and CIA Director, Allen Dulles stating that [Fidel] Castro has now established a dictatorship of the far left. The intelligence community estimates an increase in Cuban support for other revolutionary movements in Latin America, and ‘rapid nationalization of the banks, industry and commerce’ sectors. The memorandum states that ‘violent action’ is the only means of breaking Castro’s grip on power, listing as the U.S. objective ‘the overthrow of Castro within one year.’ King also recommends that ‘thorough consideration be given to the elimination of Fidel Castro,’ marking the first time that the idea of assassination is committed to paper.”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“JAN 12, 1960: Throughout the month of January, sabotage and small bombing missions in Cuba increase in frequency. A plane drops incendiary bombs in the areas of Bainoa, Caraballo, and San Antonio de Rio Blanco. Another plane coming from the north, with U.S. markings, drops inflammable material on cane fields next to the Hershey factory.”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“JAN 1960: The CIA sets up a Task Force WH-4, Branch 4 of the Western Hemisphere Division to implement President [Dwight D.] Eisenhower’s request for an ambitious covert program to overthrow the Castro government. Jacob Esterline, Guatemala station chief between 1954-1957, is put in charge of WH-4.” [The 15th of the month used for date sorting purposes only.]
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“[JAN 24, 1960] Clark Clifford, special counsel to President Harry S. Truman and later Secretary of Defense under Lyndon Johnson, reminds President [John F.] Kennedy in a memorandum that [Former President Dwight D.] Eisenhower said it was the policy of this government to help the exiles to the utmost and that this effort should be continued and accelerated.”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“JAN 25, 1960: President [Dwight D.] Eisenhower holds a conference to discuss the situation in Cuba. ‘The President said that [Fidel] Castro begins to look like a madman.’ Ambassador [Philip] Bonsal, also at the conference, adds, ‘[Castro] is a very conspiratorial individual who tries to create the impression that he and Cuba are beleaguered. He is an extreme Leftist and is strongly anti-American.’”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“JAN 28, 1960: At four in the afternoon in the town of Chambas on the north coast, a Catalina plane drops incendiary bombs that fail to go off. The bombs have the inscription ‘Bristo Marines.’ Another plane drops incendiary bombs on the cane fields in the refineries of Adelaida, Violeta, Patria, Punta Alegre, and Morón, in Camaguey; and Monati, Delicias, and Chapana, in Oriente. The incendiary devices dropped on the central Adelaide almost totally destroy 40 million ‘arrobas’ [‘arroba’ = 25 pounds] of cane.”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“FEB 12, 1961: The Voice of America [radio station] announces it will broadcast a series of anti-Castro radio programs, beginning with a documentary ‘The Anatomy of a Broken Promise’ which reviews Castro’s pledges to hold elections and how these pledges were broken one by one.”
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu
“FEB 1960: The Movimiento de Recuperación Revolucionaria – MRR [Revolutionary Recovery Movement] – releases its ‘Ideario’ of basic points. In the preamble, Manuel Artíme writes that MRR has been formed ‘not only to overthrow Fidel Castro, but to permanently fight for an ideology of Christ; and for a reality of liberating our nation treacherously sold to the Communist International.’” [The 15th of the month is used for date sorting purposes.]
“The Bay of Pigs Invasion/Playa Giron: A Chronology of Events,” The National Security Archive, NSArchive2.gwu.edu