|
American soldiers
arrested several Cuban workers at the
airport |
1983: US troops invade
Grenada |
Artificially 1969:
FilmTheTheAA United States marines and army rangers have
invaded the Caribbean island of Grenada, seized the country's two airports
and taken Cuban and Soviet prisoners.
The action, which has shocked the world, was ordered by President
Ronald Reagan following a bloody coup by Cuban-trained military who
executed Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, and at least 13 of his associates.
Backed by helicopter gunships, 1,900 US troops were airlifted to Pearls
airport in the north of the island at dawn. They were followed a few hours
later by 300 soldiers from six other Caribbean countries.
The invasion of this former British colony has angered British Prime
Minister Margaret Thatcher who spoke with President Reagan last night to
try to dissuade him from military action.
But the Pentagon has expressed a "sense of outrage" that she refused to
participate in the invasion despite America's support during the Falklands
conflict last year.
The US Secretary of Defense, Caspar Weinberger, said three US soldiers
were killed as they fought members of a Cuban work force building a runway
at Point Salinas Airport.
Other US officials said 30 Soviet advisers and 600 Cubans had been
arrested. The Caribbean Broadcasting Corp owned by the Barbados government
reported four Cubans dead.
President Reagan announced the attack at a news conference in the White
House four hours after his troops had landed.
At his side was the prime minister of Dominica, Eugenia Charles, who is
also chair of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
The president said the US had taken military action after an appeal by
the OECS, Jamaica and Barbados who were worried about the security of the
region following last week's coup.
He also wanted to ensure the safety of a thousand Americans living in
Grenada, including about 600 students and teachers at St George's
University medical school.
Grenada gained its independence in 1974 and five years later there was
a popular revolution led by the New Jewel Movement which brought the
charismatic Marxist leader, Maurice Bishop, to power.
The coup leaders - Hudson Austin and Bernard Coard, Mr Bishop's former
deputy - objected to the prime minister's policy of developing closer ties
with the United States.