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The CIA on August 1, 2011 made available several volumes of its formerly Top Secret official history of the Bay of Pigs invasion titled, "Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation." This CIA Bay of Pigs official history was compiled between 1974 and 1984. Three volumes of this five volume report were not available to the public until August 1, 2011. One volume became publicized in 2005. The fifth volume is still Top Secret and has not been released by the CIA.
1,582 pages of the CIA Bay of Pigs Official History can be downloaded for free at: http://www.paperlessarchives.com/bay_of_pigs_cia_history.html Twelve years after the failed invasion, CIA director William Colby commissioned CIA historians to produce an official history of the operation. On August 8, 1973, Colby's direction to the CIA history staff was that he wanted a report that would, "develop accurate accounts of certain of CIA's past activities in terms suitable for inclusion in Government-wide historical and declassification programs, while protecting intelligence sources and methods." Nine years later, CIA historian Jack Pfeiffer completed the task in five volumes. Pfeiffer conducted interviews with many CIA operatives and officials. He and his staff had access to thousands of pages of CIA documents. Highlights from the currently available CIA history on the Bay of Pigs include: Details of planned and actual use of air power during the operation. The negotiations with and cooperation by Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama in the invasion. Coverage of numerous controversial Bay of Pigs episodes including the role of Adlai Stevenson, the cancellation of the "Second Strike," the US Navy's air combat role on 19 April 1961, and the record of action and decisions of the principals most closely involved in the operations. The role of Vice President Richard Nixon. The report shows that Nixon intervened in the planning of the invasion on behalf of William Pawley. A top Republican Party and Nixon campaign contributor, Pawley was a wealthy businessman who owned enterprises in Cuba. Pawley had previously been ambassador to Brazil and Peru. One volume refers to a November 15, 1960 meeting of the Task Force overseeing the invasion planning. This meeting was convened to prepare a briefing for President-elect John Kennedy. The minutes of the meeting seem to show the Task Force was having doubts that the operation would succeed. The report quotes the minutes, "Our original concept is now seen to be unachievable in the face of the controls Castro has instituted." The report further accounts, "Our second concept (1,500-3000 man force to secure a beach with airstrip) is also now seen to be unachievable, except as a joint Agency/DOD action." According to the CIA official history, this opinion was never shared with Kennedy. The available Official History of the Bay of Pigs Operation volumes can be downloaded for free at: http://www.paperlessarchives.com/bay_of_pigs_cia_history.html | 
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