In
1983 the United States invaded the island of Grenada and Overthrew the
communist government in favor of a pro-Western one in a span of less than
two months.
Problems between the US and the Caribbean nation began
in 1979 (while the Cold War was still in effect) when a bloodless coup
placed the pro-Marxist Maurice Bishop as the Prime Minister, which led
to strengthened ties between Grenada and communist nations like Cuba and
the Soviet Union.
Bishop was eventually murdered in October of 1983 during
a power struggle with hard-liners in his own movement, creating a breakdown
in civil order that threatened the lives of American medical students
who were living on the island. In response, and at the request of allied
Caribbean nations, the US launched "Operation Urgent Fury," sending the
Marines to the north of the island and Army Rangers to the south.
During the fighting, the US suffered from lack of sufficient
intelligence data, which made it difficult to find the medical students
who needed to be rescued. The Grenadian Army and its Cuban allies also
offered greater resistance than the Americans expected.
Despite the difficulties, the Americans were able to
take the island by mid-December. An Interim Advisory Council was established
and it governed Grenada until December 1984, when Herbert A. Blaize, the
head of the New National Party, was made Prime Minister through parliamentary
elections.