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preceding paragraph, cowardice on the part of the invading Brigade--especially as it became apparent that Castro retained control of the air--may have been more directly responsible for the surrender than any lack of ammunition.· Examination of the testimony presented during the course of the trial of the Brigade prisoners consistently indicated that their performance was less than admirable. Consider the following examples: 1. We entered playa Giron practically without firing a shot and found loaded artillery, artillery that had been loaded some time before, tanks in position, machine guns, rocket launchers, and huge amounts of rockets and munitions • • • This means that they did not fight bravely and resolutely to the end as they could have done. 2. That cowardice was demonstrated later by the number of prisoners who are present today--a brigade of 1,400 men, where there are 1,200 prisoners.•• A brigade in which not one battalion leader has died in combat; a brigade whose battalion and company leaders are all here as prisoners • • • 3. President [i.e., the presiding judge] - Do you remember the state you found them in when they were captured? *It is doubtful that there was a shortage of ammunition. Within a few months of the invasion, a Cuban publication, PIa a Giron: Derrota del 1m erialismo (Havana: Burgay y Cia, August 1961 ran p otos 0 arms and ammunition which were reputedly captured from the invaders. Other Cuban publications of unidentified or later date also contain photos ahd comments which indicate a lack of spirited resistance: "Huge amounts of American army weapons and ammunition left behind by the cowardly mercenaries as they fled from the advance of the Revolutionary Forces. Had the invaders fought more courageously, they could have held that territory for a longer length of time." And, "When the Revolutionary forces advanced, the invaders abandoned 57mm. and 75mm. recoiless guns, rocket launchers, .50 caliber machine guns, 60mm., Slmm. and 4.2 inch mortars, Garand and Browning rifles, many of which were still unpacked. 211 202