Fidel Castro, the leader of Cuba, had constantly accused the United States of undermining his government. May American politicians strongly opposed Castro, and by 1960, Congress had passed legislation allowing President Eisenhower to retaliate. In 1961, Eisenhower completely severed the United States’ ties with Cuba before leaving office. The newly inaugurated President Kennedy discussed with the CIA a plan for invading Cuba. They agreed upon the invasion and it began to be carried out. Three days before the actual invasion, Cuban-piloted American planes bombed Cuban air bases. Two days after, Cubans trained and equipped by the United States invaded throughout Cuba, primarily at the Bay of Pigs. The force was not strong enough and some 1,100 men were captured.
A year of intense bargaining and negotiating for the captives was what it took for them to be released (Castro agreed on $53,000,000 worth of food and medicine). This invasion showed the weakening of relations between Cuba and the United States, as well as American desperation to stop the spread of communism.