Frakes, Matthew A./Shumate, Johnny (Illustr.) Grenada 1983

American Resurgence Towards the End of the Cold War

After gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1974 and undergoing internal power struggles, Grenada came under communist rule in the early 1980s. When a hardline Marxist faction overthrew the existing regime and executed the prime minister in October 1983, several Caribbean states asked the US to intervene. With many American students on the island, President Reagan and the US military leadership were forced to plan the operation with minimal warning and insufficient information. The US invaded Grenada on 25 October as part of Operation Urgent Fury. Despite international criticism and rejection by the UN, the US insisted that the American citizens stranded in Grenada were reason enough to intervene. The main fighting of the invasion lasted three days, with priority given to evacuating American medical students and capturing the airports. This was the first major deployment of the volunteer army established after the Vietnam War, involving the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and special forces. This book examines the difficult political situation Reagan faced, the battle against Grenadian and Cuban forces, and how this operation led to reforms that shaped the US military for future conflicts. With detailed maps, diagrams and illustrations, this book examines the legacy of this small but crucial military action in US history.