Like most countries in the world, Grenada gained its independence only after enduring hundred of years of European imperialism. The Spaniards were the first to exercise their control over Grenada, followed by the French, and then the English. In 1974 Grenada was finally granted its independence under Premier Sir Eric Matthew Gairy, the first Prime Minister of Grenada. However, Gairy was a far-right dictator with support from Augusto Pinochet. Grairy�s government became increasingly authoritarian as his list of human rights violations grew longer, and organized labor and the media became his targets. Leftist leaders decided to take back control of the country before things got any worse. As Grairy was speaking at the UN in New York City, a coup was staged in Grenada by Opposition Leader Maurice Bishop who declared himself the new PM.

Maurice Bishop was the head of the Marxist New Jewel Movement and decided to try his hand at ruling the country. Ideologically on the far-left to Gairy, Bishop dissolved parliament, established grassroots democracy initiatives, held no new elections while in office, and set up Worker�s Councils across Grenada. The US was wary of Bishop, especially since he was receiving aid from Cuba and the Soviet Union. However, to keep up good relations with America, Bishop allowed private enterprise to continue in Grenada. Nonetheless, Reagan openly spoke of the threat Grenada posed to the United States. Deciding that his policies were not radical enough, Bishop�s Deputy Prime Minister and long-time Stalinist friend, Bernard Coard, staged a military coup to overthrow him in 1983. Bishop was then executed, despite huge protests in favor of Bishop.

In this week in capitalism, the United States took advantage of Grenada�s post-coup instability and launched Operation Urgent Fury six days after the execution. Favoring military action over diplomacy, President Reagan went forward with the invasion, claiming that it was being done to evacuate the nearly 1,000 American medical students on the island. However, Mythu Sivapalan disputed this justification in the October 29th issue of the New York Times, stating; �Both Cuba and Grenada, when they saw that American ships were heading for Grenada, sent urgent messages promising that American students were safe and urging that an invasion not occur. […] There is no indication that the administration made a determined effort to evacuate the Americans peacefully. […] Officials have acknowledged that there was no inclination to try to negotiate with the Grenadian authorities.�

Operation Urgent Fury was meant to return Grenada to capitalism, while making it an example to other nations. President Reagan had rattled his saber in private talks with neighboring Caribbean nations before the invasion of Grenada, demanding favorable treatment to US capitalists in their countries. New incentives were needed for foreign investment, and future rebellions against imperialist exploitation were sure to be crushed. Reagan spoke of the Caribbean as �a vital and strategic commercial artery for the United States� which had vast �reservoirs of food and raw materials� important to American interest. The president also ordered a complete press blackout of the invasion. After Operation Urgent Fury was over, the Reagan administration created the National Media Pool which further empowered the Pentagon to control media coverage by only allowing designated sources to report at times deemed acceptable.

The military used the operation as a test run for experimental equipment, and to work out kinks in communications which could be repaired before America went on its next campaign against a potentially stronger enemy. A total of 7,000 American troops invaded the nation, which had a total population of 160,000. Three days after the invasion, the bulk of the fight was essentially over. One US soldier said, “With the equipment we have, it’s like Star Wars fighting cavemen.” It was only after the major operations were complete, that reporters were allowed to witness the mopping up of Grenada. The American public was spoon-fed joyful scenes of military victory, without the death and destruction. After ridding Grenada of its leftist leaders, the CIA spent $650,000 to fund a pro-American candidate in that year’s election.

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