America’s Invasion of the Bay of Pigs

1 America’s Invasion of the Bay of Pigs One of the main defining characteristics of groupthink behavior is the illusion that the group is always fully competent, invulnerable, and coherent. Teams affected by groupthink always try to rationalize collective decisions. They also like to invalidate opinions that are inconsistent with the group's opinions. Another characteristic is the presence of beliefs that cannot be questioned (Kenton, 2022). One event that I read about and I may consider an example of groupthink is America's invasion of the Bay of Pigs in 1961. The invasion was an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the communist government of Cuban leader Fidel Castro to replace it with a non-communist one. The invasion was expected to be a counter-revolution to the 1959 Cuban revolution in which Fidel Castro’s forces overthrew the U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2023).

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2 The invasion was launched on April 17, 1961, at the Bay of Pigs on the southern coast of Cuba. The invasion was met with fierce resistance from the Cuban military and local militias loyal to the government. The invaders were outnumbered and overpowered, and the support they expected to receive from the local population failed to materialize. The invaders were overwhelmed in three days; more than a hundred were killed, and the rest were captured and imprisoned. This incident fits the definition of groupthink since the CIA had an unquestioned belief that American Intelligence could not go wrong. They also had an illusion that the invaders could not be vulnerable to Castro’s forces.

How I make decisions.

While making decisions, I always try not to rely on gut feelings. I prefer evaluating possible consequences and going for the less risky option. I also don't like involving many people in my decisions; I prefer consulting Google, books, and people I am sure have helpful information.

How Reading the Lesson Changed My Knowledge about Decision Making.

After reading the lesson, I learned about the environment for decision-making. I learned that decisions are affected by factors like emotions, and I should be in a good emotional state when making decisions. I also learned that it is important to pay attention and listen to teammates while making decisions in a team. I now know that some assumptions can limit ideas, and having a diverse team leads to better decisions. I also know that decision-making should not always be about an individual. There are times when authority figures or experts may have the sole mandate to make decisions (The Foundation Coalition, n.d).

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Reference Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2023). Bay of Pigs Invasion. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Bay-of-Pigs-invasion Kenton, W. (2022, December 5). What is groupthink? Definition, characteristics, and causes.

Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/groupthink.asp#:~:text=What %20Are%20the%20Symptoms%20of,direct%20pressure%20on%20opposing%20views.

The Foundation Coalition, 9n.d). Effective Decision-Making in Teams.