The Brilliant Disaster

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A “balanced, engrossing account” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) of the Bay of Pigs crisis draws on long-hidden CIA documents to reveal the vivid truth of five pivotal days in April 1961. At the center of this crisis was President John F. Kennedy, with journalist Jim Rasenberger exploring what Kennedy knew, thought, and said as events unfolded. The narrative examines whether Kennedy was manipulated by the CIA into approving a plan that ultimately involved the American military. Rasenberger also presents compelling portraits of key figures: Fidel Castro, who was celebrated in New York shortly before the U.S. plotted against him; Dwight Eisenhower, who initiated the secret program and later disavowed it; Allen Dulles, the CIA director who may have briefed Kennedy about the plan before his election; and Richard Bissell, the brilliant operator who managed the CIA's efforts and accepted the blame for its failure. Rasenberger illustrates how the Bay of Pigs not only led to immediate fallout but also set the stage for greater crises, including the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War, and possibly Kennedy’s assassination. Written with clarity and narrative flair, this account provides a fast-paced chronicle of the disaster and an analysis of its lasting impact on American history.