nstruction equipment demanded by Castro as reparations. The conditions for the ransom were altered many times during the next several months; after tedious discussions, Castro finally agreed to release the prisoners in exchange for $53,000,000 worth of food and medicine. Between December 1962 and July 1965 the survivors were returned to the United States. The Bay of Pigs invasion began on April 15, 1961, with the bombing of three Cuban air force bases by B-26 bombers, which had appeared to be flown by Cuban air force pilots. Two days later, at 2 a.m. on April 17th, the ground assault began with a team of men going ashore with orders to set up landing lights to signal the main assault forces. Due to poor planning and pre-invasion analysis by the CIA, the area in which the ground forces landed was a swampland that allowed minimal organized movement. Unfortunately for the exiles, the invasion was coming, and everyone in Cuba kne
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