The Bay of Pigs Invasion (known as La Batalla de Gir?or Playa Gir?n Cuba) was an unsuccessful attempt by CIA-trained force of Cuban exiles to invade southern Cuba with support from US government armed forces, to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro. Launched shortly after John F. Kennedy assumed presidency in 1961, the operation intended to employ similar tactics as those used in the 1954 Guatemalan coup d'?t.