Caribbean Crisis

The Invasion of Grenada, 1983

N S Nash

• Publisher: Pen and Sword
• Year: 2025
• Edition: 0
• eBook ISBN:
  9781036104122
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Latin American & Caribbean History
• Index: History

In 1983, Grenada, a small Commonwealth Island in the Caribbean, had strong ties with Communist Cuba. Bernard Coard and a group of hard-line Marxist-Leninists overthrew the unelected Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and then executed Bishop and his entourage. President Ronald Reagan displayed a paranoic concern as he believed that, in Grenada, Cuba was building a powerful military base. To eliminate what he saw as a threat, he resolved to initiate regime change in Grenada. To justify an armed intervention, he made the safety of US citizens on the Island his casus belli. The poorly trained, lightly-armed and unmotivated military forces of Grenada were only hundreds strong. Nevertheless, Reagan assembled a major fleet and 7, 500 troops to invade the island and rescue his citizens. This was an overly massive hammer to crack a miniscule nut. Reagan misled the British Government as to his intentions, ignored the trenchant views of Prime Minister Thatcher and, having assembled a cosmetic coalition of other Caribbean states, US forces invaded the island. This well-researched and perceptive book by an experienced historian examines what he describes as, 'a masterclass in political and military ineptitude'. The invasion was judged by the United Nations to be illegal and, during the USA's three-day Operation URGENT FURY, anything that could go wrong – did. However, the courage of American servicemen is not in question although the quality of their senior leadership is. In this far-reaching book, the author covers the trial of the murderers, and the impact of Reagan's belligerent rhetoric that, following URGENT FURY, very nearly triggered World War III. This is a crisp, incisive summation and very readable account of an incident in modern history that restored democracy to Grenada, and led to major changes in the manner that the armed forces of the USA conduct their business.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Book Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Maps
• Illustrations
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Abbreviations Used in the Text
• Where is Grenada?
• Chapter 1 An Inauspicious Prelude
• Chapter 2 The Place, its People, and its Politics
• Chapter 3 Independence and Revolution
• Chapter 4 The View from Washington
• Chapter 5 The Violent Coup
• Chapter 6 Confrontation and Killing
• Chapter 7 After the Killing
• Chapter 8 Communications
• Chapter 9 Invasion – Pearls and Grenville
• Plates
• Chapter 10 Invasion – Point Salines and Camp Calivigny
• Chapter 11 Reaction
• Chapter 12 25 October 1983 Special Forces Assault on Beausejour Radio Station and Richmond Hill Prison
• Chapter 13 82nd Airborne Division
• Chapter 14 The Governor General and Fort Frederick
• Chapter 15 The British Position
• Chapter 16 26 October 1983 Day 2 of Operations
• Chapter 17 27 October: Day 3 – The Assault on Camp Calivigny
• Chapter 18 28–31 October: Final Operations – Mopping-Up
• Chapter 19 The Cost
• Chapter 20 Aftermath – The Truth
• Chapter 21 On Medals
• Chapter 22 Reckless Rhetoric
• Chapter 23 Aftermath – What Happened Next?
• Chapter 24 Aftermath – Retribution
• Chapter 25 The American Perspective
• Annexure A Timeline
• Annexure B Military and Political Interventions by the USA (This list does not include either of the world wars)
• Annexure C Whatever happened to old…? (In alphabetical order)
• Bibliography
• Index