Historical Security Council
Topic A: Examining the U.S Invasion of Grenada
Chairs: Leonardo Molinari,
Brent Strong
1 INDEX
Background Information…………..…………………3
Timeline………………………………..…...………….7
Key Terms……………………………….....………….8
Guiding Questions……………………...…………….9
Further Research…………………….……………...10
2 The Island of Grenada Background Information
Situated between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, Grenada is just north of Trinidad and Tobago and the Venezuelan coast. In total, it is 344 square kilometers and 121 kilometers of coastline. Its climate is tropical and it has been known to experience hurricanes. It was first settled by the French in 1649 and then became a colony of Britain. It gained autonomy in 1967 and independence in 1974, becoming the smallest self­determining country in the entire Western Hemisphere. Until 1983, it was of little interest to the United States. Ronald Reagan The current President of the United States is Ronald Reagan, the Republican former governor of California from 1966 to 1974. Notably, he has recently strengthened U.S. defense forces despite a sizable budget deficit; as commander­in­chief of the United States Military, he wields supreme operational control over all military endeavors. His foreign policy is generally considered to be aggressively anti­Communist. Political Situation in Grenada Following March of 1979 when Maurice Bishop took power in a coup, Grenada began changing into a Marxist state, aligning themselves more closely with Cuba and the Soviet Union. 3 However, in June of 1983 Bishop met with American officials in Washington D.C., prompting dissatisfaction among left­wing factions in the government. As a result, in October of 1983, the Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard staged a coup d'etat with the support of the military, unseating Prime Minister Maurice Bishop. Social unrest soon swept the country causing the military to impose martial law and an all­day curfew. Although a Marxist, Bishop had been pursuing moderate policies and was encouraging business investment in order to increase tourism. Six days after the coup, he was murdered and Coard, a staunch Communist, cemented his power. Political Situation in the United States After the coup, the Reagan administration was most concerned by Grenada’s ongoing efforts to build a 10,000 foot airstrip equipped for commercial jets. Reagan and his advisors worried that this airstrip could allow for military planes loaded with armaments to land. These weapons could then be given to Communist guerrillas in Central America, possibly jeopardizing American interests in the region. Reagan’s advisors also noted the presence of 800 American medical students studying at St. George’s Medical School. After the coup, unrest had swept through the country and martial law had been imposed. The Reagan 4 administration felt that American lives were in harm’s way. To further complicate the political situation in Washington, a truck bomb struck a Marine barracks in Lebanon, killing 220 Marines and another 21 military personnel on October 23. Two days later, Reagan authorized the invasion of Grenada. Operation Urgent Fury The invasion, known as Operation Urgent Fury, was launched on October 25 with some international support. Jamaica, Barbados, and four other Caribbean countries volunteered their troops, which have been organized into the Caribbean Peacekeeping Force (CPF). The initial invasion force consisted of 2,000 U.S. troops that has soon expanded to 6,000 troops. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was not notified of the invasion. The first troops to land were U.S. marines. They met fierce resistance and were subjected to intense anti­aircraft fire. Grenadian soldiers, Cuban soldiers, Cuban engineers, and workers laboring on the airstrip fought the Marines. However, backed by helicopter gunships, the Marines were able to quickly subdue resistance. And more troops from both the United States and other Caribbean nations quickly followed. In Grenada, they have found and are still looking for a variety of arms and weapons including machine guns, automatic rifles, rocket launchers, anti­aircraft weapons, howitzers, armored vehicles, and naval patrol boats. In total, over 600 5 Cubans and 30 Soviet advisors have been arrested. Estimates put Cuban casualties at 59 dead and 25 wounded, American casualties at 19 dead and 119 wounded, and Grenadian casualties at 45 dead and 337 wounded. All of the American medical students are believed to be unharmed. Current Situation The United States Military and other Caribbean nations are in the process of installing a new democratic and pro U.S. government. Most resistance has been crushed. Leaders of the coup like Bernard Coard are believed to have been arrested by U.S. forces. At the moment it is unclear what will happen with the Cuban and Soviet advisors that were taken into custody during the invasion. Delegates, you are part of the United Nations Security Council and the date is October 30, 1983. The future of Grenada is your decision. 6 Timeline
1649 ­ ​
The French land in Grenada and establish a small colony. 1763 ­ ​
The British take control of Grenada through the Treaty of Paris, ending 114 years of French rule. 1967 ­ ​
Grenada gains some degree of autonomy, taking the first step towards self­determination since 1649. 1974­ ​
Grenada becomes independent from Britain. It is the smallest nation in the entire Western Hemisphere. March 1979 ­ ​
Maurice Bishop, a Marxist, seizes power in a coup largely devoid of violence. June 1983 ­ ​
Bishop meets with the U.S. government in Washington, a move that angers left wing officials in the Grenadian government. October 13, 1983 ­ ​
Bernard Coard deposes Prime Minister Bishop with the support of the military. Protests quickly follow and violence spreads through the country. The military imposes an all­day curfew. Breaking the curfew is punishable by execution. October 19, 1983 ­ ​
Bishop is murdered by the new government. October 23, 1983­ ​
In Beirut, 241 Americans are killed by a truck bomb. October 25, 1983 ­ ​
U.S. Marines invade Grenada as ordered by President Ronald Reagan. Nearly 2,000 Marines participate in the initial stages and backed by helicopter gunships, they fight off fierce resistance. October 29, 1983 ­ ​
Grenadian and Cuban troops have been thoroughly defeated and Grenada is under the control of the United States Military and its allies. Bernard Coard has been captured and is in U.S. custody. 7 Key Terms
Communism: ​
the political and economic doctrine/policy that aims to replace private property and a profit­based ​
economy with public ownership and communal control of at least the major means of ​
production​
(e.g., mines, mills, and factories) and the natural resources of a ​
society​
. Coup d’etat: ​
the sudden, violent overthrow of an existing ​
government by a small group. The chief prerequisite for a coup is control of all or part of the armed forces, the police, and other military elements. Marxism: ​
A body of doctrine developed by ​
Karl Marx and, to a lesser extent, by Friedrich Engels in the mid­19th century. This doctrine is a basis for many Communist parties and governments. United States Marine Corps: ​
A separate military service within the ​
U.S. Department of the Navy​
, charged with the provision of ​
marine troops for seizure and defense of advanced bases and with conducting operations on land and in the air. They specialize in amphibious operations among other things. 8 Guiding Questions
● Have the U.S. and its allies violated Grenadian sovereignty? ● If so, should there be consequences? ● Did the completion of a 10,000 foot airstrip pose a risk to U.S. and Central and South American security? ● Was it justifiable to invade in order to rescue the American medical students? ● Was Bernard Coard’s government lawful and legitimate? ● Who should be responsible for the creation of a new Grenadian government? 9 Further Research
An in­depth and detailed account of military operations during Operation Urgent Fury: http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/doctrine/history/urgfury.pdf News article from October 25, 1983 detailing the invasion: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/25/newsid_3207000/3207509.stm Detailed collection of information on Grenada: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the­world­factbook/geos/gj.html Information on Ronald Reagan: https://www.whitehouse.gov/1600/presidents/ronaldreagan https://history.state.gov/departmenthistory/short­history/reaganforeignpolicy http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/reference/pressketch.html General sources related to the invasion of Grenada: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general­article/reagan­grenada/ http://www.history.com/this­day­in­history/united­states­invades­grenada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Grenada Information source for key terms: http://www.britannica.com/ 10