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Cold War Mindset: Hot War Engagement

Cold War Mindset: Hot War Engagement. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Education Department. Friday , June 25, 2010. The Situation. The Caribbean Nation of Grenada Size & Population about 131 square miles about 110,000 civilians Member of British Commonwealth

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Cold War Mindset: Hot War Engagement

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  1. Cold War Mindset:Hot War Engagement Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Education Department Friday, June 25, 2010

  2. The Situation The Caribbean Nation of Grenada • Size & Population • about 131 square miles • about 110,000 civilians • Member of British Commonwealth • Seized by follower of Cuba’s President Castro and military, 1973 • Gained independence from Britain, 1974 • Ruled by Communist New Jewel Movement,1979

  3. Grenada & The Caribbean Islands

  4. Concerns: Neighboring States 5 out of 7 member states of the Organization of East Caribbean States (OECS) requested U.S. military assistance - Antigua - Barbados - Dominica - Jamaica - St. Lucia St. Vincent wanted an investigation

  5. Concerns: U.S. The new Communist leader in Grenada, with strong ties to Cuba and the Soviet Union, may influence and aid other Soviet-Cuba takeovers in the region. 2. 800 American medical students in Grenada could become hostages in a Communist controlled regime. 3. Reports state that Grenada is building up and storing weapons to invade other Caribbean countries.

  6. Reagan Doctrine “We must not break faith with those who are risking their lives on every continent from Afghanistan to Nicaragua to defy Soviet-supported aggression and secure rights which have been ours since birth…Support for freedom fighters is self-defense.” --President Reagan, in the State of the Union, February 1985 “The Reagan Doctrine proclaims overt and unashamed American support for anti-Communist revolution. The grounds are justice, necessity and democratic tradition.” -- Charles Krauthammer, Time, April 1, 1985

  7. Major Players Milan Bish CBS News- Broke story of naval ships diverting from Middle East to Caribbean despite Reagan Administration pleas for press cooperation. United States Ambassador

  8. Major Players Bernard Coard Maurice Bishop President of Grenada, leader of Communist movement. Assassinated along with 12 others in violent coupe in Grenada. Radical Communist New Jewel Movement leader who took over Grenada, October 13, 1983. Formerly Bishop’s Deputy.

  9. Major Players Eugenia Charles Leader of Dominica, head of OECS in 1983, urged President Reagan to intercede in Grenada on behalf of region. Organization of East Caribbean Countries (OECS)

  10. Major Players George Shultz Ronald Reagan Secretary of State

  11. Major Players General John Vessey Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

  12. Events Unfolding President Reagan making an early morning telephone call to staff regarding the situation in Grenada. 10/22/83.

  13. General John Vessey discussing the situation in Grenada a group of bipartisan members of congress including Trent Lott and Dick Cheney in cabinet room. 10/25/83.

  14. President Reagan meets with Prime Minister Eugenia Charles of Dominica on events in Grenada . (George Shultz and Robert McFarlane also visible) 10/25/83 .

  15. President Reagan meets with Congress in the cabinet room on the invasion of Grenada. 10/25/83.

  16. Options? What options does the United States government have for responding to this issue?

  17. Options • Invade Grenada and set up a new government. • Send a rescue mission for the American students. • Establish an international coalition to invade Grenada. • Ignore the issue. • Ask the American Congress to decide what to do. • Continue sanctions of Grenada which have already been established by the Carter Administration. • Engage in diplomatic talks with the new Grenadian officials to secure the safety of American students and prevent the spread of Communism throughout the Caribbean. • Sponsor an internal take-over by Grenadian para-military groups.

  18. Questions • Would the Reagan Administration have ordered an invasion of Grenada if American Medical students were not considered at risk? • Did President Reagan have the authority under the War Powers Act to call for the invasion? Explain.  • Was the mission a success?  Explain? • What role did the press play? • Was this an example of what we would now call “nation building”? Was “nation building” in keeping with the Reagan Doctrine? • What were some of the concerns expressed in a post-Vietnam world? • Why would the State Department be more interested in an invasion than the Defense Department? • Was the invasion legal according to international law?

  19. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum Education Department Mira Cohen Director of Education Mira.cohen@nara.gov 805-577-4019

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