The Bay of Pigs Invasion occurred under which U.S. president's administration?

• A. Dwight D. Eisenhower
• B. John F. Kennedy
• C. Lyndon B. Johnson
• D. Richard Nixon

Answer: (B)

This question hinges on who was in the White House when the Bay of Pigs invasion occurred. The operation took place in April 1961, early in John F. Kennedy’s presidency, and he approved the CIA-backed effort to overthrow Fidel Castro. Although planning began under Dwight D. Eisenhower, the invasion was carried out during Kennedy’s administration, so he bears the responsibility for that action. The episode illustrates how presidential decisions shape Cold War covert actions and how a plan can move from one administration to another, with different political consequences. The failure also had lasting effects on U.S. credibility and Cuba’s alignment with the Soviet Union.