It seems that Girón was recorded in the homeland’s history as a permanent warning to those who dream of taking possession of Cuba.
 
As time passes, the lesson left by the victory achieved in the Ciénaga de Zapata, along the Bay of Pigs in the southern reaches of Matanzas, becomes even more evident. Our indomitable people were able to confront and defeat the invaders, despite the much greater power of their weapons and imperialist support.
 
Our enemies’ plan did not take into account that they would meet a determined people, who, in the unequal battle, showed the courage of the Mambises of 1868 and 1895.
 
Remember April, never forget Girón. It should be obvious to those who, like the mercenaries of that era, continue to harbor the illusion that they can betray and defeat the homeland of Céspedes and Martí.
 
The enemy was well organized, well armed, with strong support, but they were in the wrong, the cause they defended was unjust. José Ramón Fernández, among the first revolutionary combatants to arrive on the scene, considered this reality key to explaining the defeat of the imperialist backed invasion.
 
He was convinced that this moral vacuum prevented the mercenaries from fighting with the ardor, the courage, the determination and confidence in victory with which the revolutionary forces did. On the contrary, the people, firmly committed to the concepts of national sovereignty and socialism, proudly wore their blue denim militia shirts and olive green berets, prepared to fight, determined to resist and defeat U.S. aggression.
 
Interpreting the meaning of these critical days in the country’s history, Fernández commented that these were defining moments of patriotism and revolutionary fervor, and that the leadership ability of Fidel "reached a highpoint that no other head of state in the hemisphere had ever before achieved."
 
The outstanding revolutionary, among the principal protagonists of the battle, was convinced that this was the fundamental cause of the mercenary defeat.
 
When on occasion she lacks the strength to continue the march, Nemesia Rodríguez Montano, a woman of the wetlands who cannot forget the terrifying invasion, thinks of that audacious, fearless man who came to Girón to lead the battle personally, regardless of the danger.
 
Fidel’s conception of the battle was not new. It came with him from the Sierra Maestra, as historians have noted, and his presence contributed a great deal to the morale of the militias and Revolutionary Armed Forces.
 
Fidel unleashed the strength of a people. This is the only way to explain how it was possible to defeat such a colossal, powerful attack, which cost the lives of courageous Cubans and left Nemesia's precious white shoes bloodied.