It was an attempt by CIA backed Cuban refugees to topple Fidel Castro. It was a complete failure.

1,200 exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs in Cuba armed with American weapons and supplied by US supply ships. The belief was that the oppressed Cubans would see the exiles as liberators and join them to fight Castro. They didn't.

The Cuban forces managed to sink all of the exiles' supply ships, and the invading forces didn't get any air cover.

1,100 of the exiles were captured.