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Â鶹´«Ã½AV Vault: Cuba Embargo Popular After Bay of Pigs Fiasco
Â鶹´«Ã½AV Vault

Â鶹´«Ã½AV Vault: Cuba Embargo Popular After Bay of Pigs Fiasco

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Fifty-five years ago this weekend, 1,400 CIA-backed Cuban exiles attempted to invade Cuba at the Bay of Pigs and overthrow Prime Minister Fidel Castro. President John F. Kennedy inherited the covert Cold War-inspired plan from his predecessor, Dwight D. Eisenhower. But through a series of mistakes, the April 17, 1961, mission ended in disaster.

Â鶹´«Ã½AV quickly designed a special poll to document the American public's reaction to the failed invasion and to growing concerns about Cuba's communist leanings. Â鶹´«Ã½AV's polling showed that, of three actions the United States might have taken to deal with Cuba, the only popular choice was a trade embargo. Sixty-three percent of Americans agreed with refusing to "buy or sell products to Cuba so long as Castro is in power." Less than half -- 44% -- agreed with aiding anti-Castro forces by supplying them with money and war materials. Even fewer -- 24% -- agreed with sending U.S. armed forces into Cuba to help overthrow Castro.

1961: Americans' Agreement with Possible U.S. Actions Against Cuba
Some people say that the U.S. should ___________. Do you agree or disagree?
Agree% Disagree% No opinion%
Refuse to buy or sell products to Cuba so long as Castro is in power 63 23 14
Aid the anti-Castro forces with money and war materials 44 41 15
Send our armed forces into Cuba to help overthrow Castro 24 65 11
April 1961
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According to jfklibrary.org, Kennedy felt he owed surviving members of the anti-Castro brigade his commitment to achieving what he called "a free Havana," and his administration initiated a plan to "sabotage and destabilize the Cuban government and economy." This included instituting a full trade embargo on Cuba a year later, followed by a full travel ban to the island in 1963.

Despite Kennedy's own disappointment over the Bay of Pigs, 61% of Americans approved of his handling of the Cuba invasion in Â鶹´«Ã½AV's late April 1961 poll, while just 15% disapproved and 24% were unsure. Separately, his overall job approval rating rose to 83%, up from 78% just before the invasion. Dr. Â鶹´«Ã½AV's headline for this poll read, "Public Rallies Behind Kennedy in Aftermath of Cuban Crisis."

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