Fidel Castro: We Must Defend Our Country – Denouncing US Bay of Pigs Aggression
On 19 April 1961, the Bay of Pigs Invasion became a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in by the United States and the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front (DRF), consisting of Cuban exiles who were opposed to the Cuban Revolution, led by Comandante Fidel Castro.
The invasion, which was clandestinely and directly financed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the United States government, was gallantly defeated by the Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces. Late on 19 April, United States’ destroyers UUS Eaton and USS Marray moved into Cochinos Bay to evacuate retreating Brigade soldiers from beaches, before fire from Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces tanks caused Commodore Crutchfield to order a withdrawal.
On 23 April 1961, Comandante Fidel Castro made a speech, titled “We Must Defend Our Country”, denouncing the US act of aggression against Cuba. Fidel Castro’s speech is an interesting account of what happened prior, during and after the invasion, which reflects similarities with what the Cuban people are currently going through with the United States Donald Trump’s administration attempts to annihilate Cuba. According to Castro:
“The people know a great deal about the events which have taken place as a result of our special reports, the newspaper accounts and the interrogation of prisoners. The people know about the invasion, the detail
