Invasion, U.S., Cuba Hundreds of Cubans left their stories at Playa Girón. Photo: Archive.

Playa Girón: Imperialism’s First Major Defeat in the Americas

In the early hours of April 19th, 65 years ago, news of the victory against the mercenary invasion of Cuba sparked explosions of jubilation. Among millions of Cubans mobilized throughout the country or quartered. With the nascent militias in preparation for what could be a long war.

The mercenary invasion orchestrated by the CIA and the U.S. government to overthrow the Cuban Revolution lasted less than three days. The fledgling Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), along with the National Police and the militias. Led by Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, inflicted U.S. imperialism’s first major defeat in the Americas.

Under the direct command of Fidel Castro, the revolutionary troops annihilated the invaders in just 66 hours of combat. The invaders surrendered on the sands of Playa Girón at 5:30 p.m. on April 19th, 1961.

Fidel then issued Communiqué No. 4: “Forces of the Rebel Army and the National Revolutionary Militias stormed the last positions occupied by the invading mercenary forces on national territory.” Which immediately sparked national jubilation. The enemy was defeated, with a toll of 89 dead, 250 wounded, and 1,181 prisoners. The mercenary leadership fled without a fight. Cuban casualties were 157 combatants killed and more than 300 wounded. Whom the people of the Zapata Swamp and the people of Cuba remember as Eternal Heroes of the Homeland.

Five days later, US President John F. Kennedy publicly admitted his government’s full responsibility for the invasion of Cuba.
Throughout the country, starting on April 17th, the main internal supporters of the counterrevolution were detained as a precaution to prevent the formation of a fifth column within the country. And the newly arrived four-barreled anti-aircraft guns had their baptism of fire against enemy aircraft.

With those young gunners and pilots who together shot down the enemy aircraft. The Day of the FAR’s Anti-Aircraft Defense was established on that date. On the 18th, with the retreat that Cuban mechanized forces forced the invading troops to the beach, Tanker Day was established.

Both branches of the Cuban Armed Forces are also celebrating their 65th anniversary these days.

The National Literacy Campaign did not stop; on the contrary, the training of more than 100,000 students as Conrado Benítez Brigade members increased. These young people, with their primers to teach reading and writing. Reached all the plains and mountains where illiterate people lived.
Moreover the literacy brigade members also contributed their martyrs, murdered by the growing counterrevolutionary banditry in regions of the country, before Cuba was declared a Territory Free of Illiteracy in December 1961.

Much has written about what this demonstration meant for Cuba and Latin America. Showing how difficult it is to defeat a people united in defense of revolutionary ideals.

The victory at Playa Girón changed the course of the Cuban Revolution. Making clear the true enemy we faced. This forced the country’s leadership to radicalize the process. Prepare internally, and strengthen its international alliances for the battles to come.

With information from Pedro Rioseco/contributor to Prensa Latina

*Chief correspondent for Prensa Latina in Nicaragua and concurrent correspondent in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras for 10 years; chief correspondent in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Bolivia. He founded and directed Editorial Génesis Multimedia, which published the Encyclopedia Todo de Cuba and 136 other titles.
Previously, he was the director of the Sierra Maestra newspaper in the former Oriente province, an aide to the Minister of Culture Armando Hart, and head of the International Desk of Bohemia magazine, with international coverage in more than 30 countries. He is the author of the book Electronic Commerce, the New Conquest. He directs the magazine Visión for the UPEC (Union of Cuban Journalists) and is president of its Advisory Group.
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