Invasion of Greneda?

Question

Are there any documentaries or films on the 1983 US Invasion of Greneda?

The main purpose of asking is to find a Hollywood version that a classmate from Greneda can discuss her lived experiences against. In my M.Ed social studies course we were discussing students taking Hollywood 'historical' movies as legit. None of us knew of any docs or films about it.

Answer 1

The movie "Heartbreak Ridge" was Hollywood's version of the Grenada invasion. The movie was in no way realistic.

In fact the invasion of Grenada remains one of the most misunderstood and poorly appreciated military operations in US history.

In was a demonmstration that the concept of 'fight outnumbered and win' works. It was also an impressive piece of operational planning as there were no 'OpPlans' covering such an event (an OpPlan is a generic plan that is created in case a particular type of mission becomes necessary). As a result the staffs of the various military services had to plan the operation as the operation was happening. Despite glitches - the operation ran more smoothly than can be expected from a study of military history.

There were glitches (as can be expected in any 'rush' operation). The first 'glitch' was the fact that since nobody had heard of Grenada before the invasion - nobody had ever prepared military maps of the island. Another issue that was discovered was that Army helicopter pilots were not trained in how to land on Navy frigates and destroyers. Prior to the invasion nobody expect that this capability would be ever needed.

However the biggest issue is the fact that rumor and envy has produced a cottage industry that makes unfounded claims of incompetence and ineptude.

On example of this is the claim that we won using overwhelming firepower and numbers. The truth is that the enemy outnumbered the US forces by about 3-1 and that the US deployed light infantry who were facing counterattacks by mechanized forces.

Answer 2

Discovery Channel or History Channel has some stories about the SEAL teams that went in to save the governor general.

You're better off reading books, and read a lot of them. The honest truth: Grenada is was a disaster (I'd want to use an epithet, but that's prohibited here) that US only won because they brought so much firepower and people in. NOTHING was coordinated properly, special units have their targets changed last minute due to inter-unit politics, and instead of a few quick grab-and-runs by commando units, it became a "get everybody their day in the sun" type of battle when it was decided that everybody (but the Coast Guard) need some face time, so Army and Marines were brought in as well. Before the war even started some idiots let a couple SEALs jump into 10-ft rough seas in a pitch-black night. Not even a real seal can survive with almost 100 lbs of equipment hanging off of him in that sea state. Four highly trained SEALs were lost at sea, their bodies never found, before even a single shot were fired. The rest of the campaign is about as messed up as it could.

Tom Clancy and Gen. Zinni's book: Shadow Warriors has a section on Grenada. I'd recommend you look up LOTS and LOTS of books on this subject, each will have a slightly different perspective on this "police action".

EDIT: Mr. Grenada Vet may have fought in a few engagements where he was outnumbered, but the fact is about 7000 American troops eventually landed on Grenada, against 1500 or so rebels (and about 600 Cuban "consultants", if you want to count them). You can do the math. Army Units include contingents from 82nd airborne, Rangers, AND special forces (detachment delta, i.e. Delta Force), PLUS Navy SEAL Teams Four and Six at the minimum. (See wikipedia article on Urgent Fury) Heck, even the Marines got involved. It worked, so it's NOT a disaster, but it COULD have worked a LOT better and a lot quicker, using a lot less force. I know, we're second guessing, Monday quarterbacking and all that, so I think I'll stop right here.

Answer 3

"Heartbreak Ridge" with Clint Eastwood is Hollywoods sole Grenada Film. It's a cliche piece about a USMC Recon Unit, but really is more akin to the type produced in WWII.

Answer 4

Heartbreak Ridge w/ Clint Eastwood

Answer 5

The invasion is featured in the last half-hour of Heartbreak Ridge, Clint Eastwood’s movie about the United States Marine Corps.

The famous Welsh band Manic Street Preachers referenced the invasion in the song "IfWhiteAmericaToldTheTruthForOneDayIt´sWorldWouldFallApart", included in their 1994 album "The Holy Bible".

The invasion of Grenada is mentioned in the Adam Sandler movie Anger Management, when Adam’s “anger ally” mentioned his past military experience; his “anger ally” says he was in the Invasion of Grenada, and Sandler responds “Didn’t Grenada last for like twelve hours? We kicked ***.” It is also mentioned in Die Hard 2: the commanding officer of the antagonists reveals that his team of lawbreakers was formed in the invasion of Grenada, “lying on a beach all day.” Further, Grenada is repeatedly referenced by the journalist Wayne Gale in the movie Natural Born Killers.

Parody TV show Spitting Image, during a special program about Ronald Reagan, showed a dramatization of the Inavsion of Grenada, where a soldier accidentally throws a grenade when told the name of the country ("Grenada!". "Yes, Sir").

In Orson Scott Card's Enchantment, Cousin Marik wonders if the United States assault teams would be able to handle a witch from the Middle Ages as easily as they handled the "vast armies of Grenada."

The Adult Swim program Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law makes mention of Grenada when Phil Ken Sebben applies for a Congressional Medal of Honor, stating: "When I die, I'm going to heaven, because I spent my time in hell... Grenada, '83."

Urgent Fury is a scenario-based tournament video game, based on the SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs franchise for the Playstation 2 video game console. Apart from the name, it is not related to the real-life invasion of Grenada.

Mentioned in the Steve Earle song "Gringo's Tale" on his 2004 album "The Revolution Starts... Now."

The play Halcyon Days by Steven Dietz is a political satire about the invasion of Grenada.


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The Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, was an invasion of the island nation of Grenada by the United States of America and several other nations in response to a coup d’état by Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard. From October 25, 1983, the United States, Barbados, Jamaica and members of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States landed troops on Grenada, defeated Grenadian and Cuban resistance and overthrew Coard's government. October 25 is a national holiday of Grenada, called Thanksgiving Day, to commemorate this event.

Answer 6

aka "Operation Urgent Fury"