Final answer:
The CIA's plan, known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion, aimed to overthrow Castro by arming Cuban exiles and creating an environment for rebellion in Cuba. The operation failed due to the lack of support for the exiles and poor execution, leading to substantial international criticism.
Step-by-step explanation:
The CIA's plan to take out the Cuban communists involved the training and arming of Cuban exiles for an invasion, known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion, aimed at inciting a popular uprising and overthrowing Fidel Castro's regime.
Initiated by the Eisenhower administration and later authorized by President Kennedy, the CIA sought to remove Fidel Castro from power without direct US military involvement, fearing global criticism and the possibility of pushing Cuba closer to the Soviet Union. The agency trained Cuban exiles, now part of the Democratic Revolutionary Front, to launch the invasion. This strategy was based on apparent past successes, such as coups in Iran and Guatemala. Despite beliefs that a small, equipped force could incentivize a larger uprising, the operation failed. Just days after Kennedy took office, the CIA's plan commenced, excluding airstrikes and naval support to conceal the US role. After a flawed and unsupported landing at the Bay of Pigs, the insurgent force was quickly defeated by Castro's military. Kennedy negotiated for the return of survivors and publicly shouldered the blame, though the mission significantly damaged US reputation and effectiveness in foreign policy.