Tuesday March 31st

Bay of Pigs Invasion:
- CIA invasion of Cuba
- started under Eisenhower, then initiated under Kennedy
- trained anti-communist Cubans
- It was supposed to be a suprise attack, but the exiles were immeditaely surrounded
- The exiles were promised U.S air support, but Kennedy said no (they didn't help the rebels)
- Overall a failed attempt

Mongoose:
- operation Mongoose was a covert program of economic destabilization activity and futile assassination plots against Castro
- it did little real harm to Castro or Cuba

Berlin Wall:
- In August 1961, East German government erected the Berlin Wall to separate East and West Berlin
- Kennedy went to West Berlin and in a speech pledged to defend West Berlin and declared himself a Berliner

*BEGINNING* of Cuban Missile Crisis:
- the Cuban missile Crisis was a very dangerous standoff between the Sobiet Union and the United States