ORG13-3 Human Aspects of Decision-Making: Seminar Exercise Week 4
             'Group Think' and The Bay of Pigs
             During the era we now know as the Cold War, there was a great deal of paranoia in the Western world and in particular the USA about the threat of Soviet communism. In Cuba in 1959 the rebels of Fidel Castro overthrew the corrupt pro-American dictatorship of Batista this made the American people and Government very nervous indeed (as Cuba lies 80 km off the coast of Florida).
             When the charismatic and iconic young president John F "Jack" Kennedy took office in 1961, Cuba and Castro were foremost in his thoughts. He was conscious of that fact that he was seen to be tolerating a communist regime in his own backyard. Also, during his election campaign he had made promises to anti-Castro Cuban exiles living in the USA that he would sort the bearded one out and reinstall a US-friendly regime. However, he couldn't overtly send in US troops as this would incur the displeasure of the international community and most importantly the USSR and could start World War III. During the administration of the previous (Eisenhower) regime the CIA had drafted a plan which involved the training of the Cuban exiles into a fighting force and sending them in to invade Cuba and overthrow Castro.
             Early in Kennedy's term of office, he had appointed a close-knit cabinet of advisors including his brother Robert and some old friends who he knew well and trusted highly. He tended to consult them with important matters rather than other civil servants or political colleagues such as his vice president. When the CIA plan was put before Kennedy and his team, it was presented in such a way that underplayed the risks and over-emphasised the positive aspects. Jack fell for it and his enthusiasm for it was infectious and opposition to the invasion was subtly discouraged. He favoured the advocacy appr
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