The purpose of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 was to overthrow the government of Fidel Castro in Cuba, which had allied itself with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Orchestrated by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the plan involved training Cuban exiles to initiate an armed rebellion against Castro. However, the invasion, which took place on April 17, 1961, resulted in a catastrophic failure. The poorly executed operation faced staunch defense from Castro's forces, leading to the capture of the exiles and significant embarrassment for the U.S. government, ultimately escalating tensions in the region.