What was the name of the 1983 US invasion of Grenada?

The name of the 1983 US invasion of Grenada was Operation Urgent Fury. The operation began on October 25, 1983, when US forces and troops from several Caribbean countries invaded the island nation after a violent political crisis.

Grenada had been governed by the left-wing People’s Revolutionary Government since 1979. Internal conflict intensified in 1983, when Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was placed under house arrest and then executed by members of his own movement. A Revolutionary Military Council led by Hudson Austin took power, alarming the United States and neighboring Caribbean governments.

President Ronald Reagan’s administration said the invasion was requested by regional leaders and Grenada’s governor-general, Paul Scoon. Washington also cited the danger to American medical students at St. George’s University and concerns about Cuban construction and military involvement. US Army Rangers and Marines secured the airport, campuses, and government centers, while forces from the Regional Security System supported the operation.

The invasion quickly removed the military council and led to an interim government followed by elections in December 1984. It remained controversial: the United Nations General Assembly condemned it as a violation of international law, and Britain’s Margaret Thatcher objected privately because she had not been consulted in advance.