92. JFK vs the CIA: Raising Hell in Havana (Ep 3)

The Rest Is Classified

Goalhanger

History

4.6 • 732 Ratings

🗓️ 19 October 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

"Hell, Mr. President, we are involved." That was Admiral Burke's desperate plea to John F. Kennedy as the Bay of Pigs operation was underway. In the days before the April 17th invasion, the CIA's cover story begins to unravel and Castro is aware the invasion is coming. Kennedy, determined to avoid overt US intervention, draws a red line, declaring there will be "no intervention in Cuba by the United States Armed Forces". Join Gordon and David as they detail the critical turning point that doomed the operation. Despite air superiority being absolutely critical to success, Kennedy cancels the essential second round of pre-invasion airstrikes. This single decision means the men of Brigade 2506 must land without controlling the air, turning their ships into sitting ducks for Castro's planes. ------------------- Join The Declassified Club: Start your free trial at ⁠⁠therestisclassified.com⁠⁠ - go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, quarterly livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. To sign up to the free newsletter, go to: ⁠⁠https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up⁠ ⁠ ------------------- Order a signed edition of Gordon's latest book, The Spy in the Archive, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Order a signed edition of David's latest book, The Seventh Floor, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠via this link.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ------------------- Email: [email protected] Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@triclassified⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video Editor: Nathan Copelin Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Senior Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For exclusive interviews, bonus episodes, ad-free listening, early access to series,
0:09.0	first look at live show tickets, a weekly newsletter, and discounted books,
0:13.1	join the Declassified Club at the Rest is Classified.com.
0:17.3	From Dallas, Texas, the flash apparently official President Kennedy died at 1 p.m. Central Standard Time.
0:26.6	Cuba itself is really quickly going to become the Kennedy administration's top priority.
0:33.1	The next four years are going to be difficult and challenging years for us all.
0:38.3	At the end of the day, the U.S. is facing off against this tiny island.
0:42.3	How could you lose?
0:45.3	Castro will tell the General Assembly, the United States is seeking to overthrow him.
0:50.3	Kennedy really looks to the CIA to get the business of the Cold War done.
0:55.0	Castro and his fellow dictators may rule nations.
0:59.0	They do not rule people.
1:01.0	The CIA were kind of playing, Jennifer K.
1:04.0	In the eyes of some CIA trained militants, Kennedy had become a traitor to the cause.
1:11.3	B-26 bombers of the Cuban Exile Air Force attack Castro's airfield.
1:15.9	Everything that could go wrong does.
1:18.2	Out of ammunition, men fighting in water, if no help given, Blue Beach lost.
1:24.4	The airstrike has humiliated the United States before the world.
1:28.3	Were you ever offered money to assassinate President Kennedy?
1:32.3	Directly on numerous occasions.
1:35.3	It is clear that the forces of communism are not to be underestimated in Cuba or anywhere else in the world. It's like a nightmare.
1:48.0	It's something you think, well, I'll wake up tomorrow and it's not true.
	...

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