Wolfpaw
Banned
Let's say that, after the failure of the Bay of Pigs, Kennedy decides to invade Cuba sometime in 1962 before the missiles get moved in (let's say January or February).
Now before RogueBeaver has a stroke, let's make one thing clear; I don't think this could have happened. Period. It's almost ASB in its implausibility. But let's just have fun with this thought-excercise, shall we?
Let's say that Operation Northwoods is successful; say the CIA to pull off a false-flag attack on American soil/civilians and manages to cover their tracks well enough to get Cuba blamed for it (yeah, I know, it's the CIA in the '60s and their about as subtle as a fireworks display, but let's keep playing). Kennedy decides to invade.
I think that there'd be a lot of aerial bombardment (obviously; LeMay planned for it, I believe) followed by an invasion of Marines. One major force landing at Matanzas and fighting towards Havana, one fighting up from Guanatnamo.
Matanzas and Santiago probably fall pretty quick, though both suffer from grisly urban combat, especially Santiago. Nonetheless, the Americans quickly push on and capture Havana. Perhaps the Cubans are able to mount decent defenses of Camaguey and/or Cienfuegos before being totally overrun by the Americans.
Result? Really, really nasty guerilla warfare throughout the island, both by fidelistas and non-fidelistas alike. Americans probably resort to Vietnam-esque bombing/chemical tactics to clear jungles of rebels and occasionally send out marines to mop them up. Anyways, quick, short war, long, bloody, nasty occupation that the rest of the world howls at.
That's what I think could happen, at least, though I don't pretend to be a military expert.
So what do you guys think (especially you, military buffs)? How would an invasion of Cuba go? How many men, planes, tanks, helicopters, etc.?
Political junkies, what would the ramifications be, both at home, in Cuba, and abroad? How would this affect American actions in Vietnam?
Again, I've got a few more ideas of my own, but I'd like to hear from all of you. So to recap: US invasion of Cuba in early 1962. What happens?
Now before RogueBeaver has a stroke, let's make one thing clear; I don't think this could have happened. Period. It's almost ASB in its implausibility. But let's just have fun with this thought-excercise, shall we?
Let's say that Operation Northwoods is successful; say the CIA to pull off a false-flag attack on American soil/civilians and manages to cover their tracks well enough to get Cuba blamed for it (yeah, I know, it's the CIA in the '60s and their about as subtle as a fireworks display, but let's keep playing). Kennedy decides to invade.
I think that there'd be a lot of aerial bombardment (obviously; LeMay planned for it, I believe) followed by an invasion of Marines. One major force landing at Matanzas and fighting towards Havana, one fighting up from Guanatnamo.
Matanzas and Santiago probably fall pretty quick, though both suffer from grisly urban combat, especially Santiago. Nonetheless, the Americans quickly push on and capture Havana. Perhaps the Cubans are able to mount decent defenses of Camaguey and/or Cienfuegos before being totally overrun by the Americans.
Result? Really, really nasty guerilla warfare throughout the island, both by fidelistas and non-fidelistas alike. Americans probably resort to Vietnam-esque bombing/chemical tactics to clear jungles of rebels and occasionally send out marines to mop them up. Anyways, quick, short war, long, bloody, nasty occupation that the rest of the world howls at.
That's what I think could happen, at least, though I don't pretend to be a military expert.
So what do you guys think (especially you, military buffs)? How would an invasion of Cuba go? How many men, planes, tanks, helicopters, etc.?
Political junkies, what would the ramifications be, both at home, in Cuba, and abroad? How would this affect American actions in Vietnam?
Again, I've got a few more ideas of my own, but I'd like to hear from all of you. So to recap: US invasion of Cuba in early 1962. What happens?
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