EARLY EPISODE: The Bay of Pigs Invasion

This isn't a question that's directly related to the episode topic, but are you planning on doing an episode on Portugal's Carnation Revolution? I didn't previously know that was an NCO led coup and I thought that comment you made about it was interesting.

You're right. A demolition derby airforce is better than none.

I seem to remember reading that the Cuban airforce was made up of former civilian airline pilots flying former Canadian Navy Sea Furys (pretty much obsolete since the Korean War), and still managed to detonate a munitions ship?

"Hopefully it's the Tau or something" - Joe = Warhammer nerd confirmed.

The missions Nate and Joe describe where they have to go out and gather biometrics is the most cursed game of Pokémon I’ve ever heard of.

I second the Blowback recommendation!

Wait wait wait... so... so you're telling me that something called the Sargeants' Revolt, right, led to a period where no one could decide who is in charge of the working par... er... country? I don't think I believe you, sir!

Dumb unimportant military hardware fact! There were two aircraft designated "B-26". One was a standard bomber and the other was an attack platform originally the A-26. The first was retired after the war with the later having its A changed to B for, uh, "simplification". None of this maters but I find it interesting.

And that was when the CIA and JFK finally recognized that the only realistic way to remove Castro would be to send him exploding cigars and shit that would make his beard fall out, embarrassing him in front of the Cuban people.

I'm from northern NJ and live/work in Newark AND work in urban planning (so very adjacent to real estate). I'm chortling at the likelihood that I'm 2-4 degrees of separation from this dude.

Can we get a companion episode about Operation Power Pack in DR 1965? I study US interventions in Latin America and they're all sad and terrible but I think that invasion is definitely Donkey territory just because of how comically incompetent the gringos were

Check out Blowback podcast for a very deep dive into US policy in Cuba.

The book Havana Nocturne talks about the run up to the Bay of Pigs and the insane mob connections/corruption. Lansky made friends with Batista while he was an army officer and used to give him suitcases of cash.

Joe, next time you're in NYC I have a "Nixon's the One" pin for you

Great episode so far. One quibble -- I don't think there was any scenario where Eisenhower and Castro could have found a meeting of the minds in the aftermath of the 1959 Cuban revolution. The Castro brothers and Che Guevara had Árbenz and the 1954 Guatemalan coup in mind during the final stage of the revolution (e.g. the Eisenhower administration had facilitated the overthrow of a democratically elected leader and imposed a brutal military dictatorship more or less on behalf of the United Fruit Company). Castro's moves in the aftermath of the revolution should be seen as an attempt to buy time, to consolidate the revolution, and to prepare national defense for a likely invasion by the U.S. In U.S. foreign policy circles there was a debate about Castro's intentions, but I suspect Castro saw the writing on the wall and saw a greater degree of autonomy within the Soviet-sphere of influence (it should also be noted that Cuba enjoyed a much more autonomous and favorable status within the Soviet-sphere than countries in Eastern Europe).

I'm nothing but excitement right now

Wait Nate actually exists? I thought he was a bit you invented for that one time his voice appeared to correct your pronunciation.

So excited for this

Oh boy this otta be good

Im beyond excited to listen to this! Hell yea.

yes yes YES