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Granma reprints the communiqués to
the Cuban people that Commander in Chief Fidel Castro
issued regarding the course of the Bay of Pigs invasion
on April 17-19, 1961
April 19, 1961
Troops of the Rebel Army and the
Revolutionary National Militia had taken by assault the
last positions the invading mercenary forces had
occupied in Cuban territory.
Playa Giron, the last point held by
the mercenaries, fell at 5:30 p.m.
The Revolution has triumphed,
although paying a high price in the valuable lives of
the revolutionary combatants that attacked the invaders
relentlessly, destroying, in less than 72 hours, the
army organized over many months by the imperialist
government of the United States.
The enemy has suffered a resounding
defeat. A portion of the mercenaries tried to flee by
boarding their landing vessels, which were then sunk by
the Rebel Air Force. The rest of the mercenary forces,
after suffering numerous losses and wounded, completely
disbanded in a swampy region where there was no escape.
Large quantities of arms made in the
USA were found, including several heavy Sherman tanks.
A full inventory of the weaponry is still pending.
In the coming hours the
Revolutionary Government will provide the population
with a complete report on the events that occurred.
Fidel Castro Ruz
Commander in Chief of the
Revolutionary Armed Forces
April 19, 1961
(Granma) 19-04-2006 | 
