Comparison of the invasions of Grenada and MogadishuThe United States has been involved in wars and conflicts since the beginning of its history. Many of these conflicts and wars range from large to small. The two major invasions of the 20th century were the invasion of Grenada in 1983 and the invasion of Mogadishu, Somalia in 1991. These two invasions had many events that could be considered successes or failures, but they were similar because they protected the United States and the countries surrounding conflicts. They also showed the strength of the US Army at the time. One evening in 1983 a truck bomb exploded near the Marine barracks in Lebanon at the Beirut National Airport, thus provoking the American invasion of Grenada (Lacey). This caught the United States off guard and forced President Reagan to act. The action would take place in Grenada, not Lebanon. Grenada is a small island nation in the Caribbean Sea. Grenada's problems began after a military coup occurred in the country which allowed the NJMP (New Jewel Movement Party), a corrupt government, to take control of the small island (Dupuy). This concerned many of the other Caribbean countries surrounding Grenada. On October 21, six small countries Dominica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis and Antigua. These countries, which make up the Eastern Caribbean States organization, decided to act and asked the United States and Jamaica for help. The United States agreed to help small countries. President Reagan had approved the launch of Operation Urgent Fury which would send troops to Grenada (Lacey). The United States would have an advantage in the war and this would lead to new technological advances. One of the most useful and advanced technologies of the time were night vision goggles that allowed American money to… middle of paper… world. Although Mogadishu was seen as a failure and Grenada as a success, both equally changed the face of our world today and the way our military is run. Bibliography "Battle of Mogadishu - 1993". Background Information Summaries (2011): 4. Full text search file provided by publisher. Network. December 6, 2013 Bowden, Mark. Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern Warfare. New York: Atlantic Monthly, 1999. Print.BUTLER, GLEN. "A refined vital concept." Naval History 26.6 (2012): 24-31. Historical reference center. Network. November 22, 2013. "Grenada, US intervention." International military and defense encyclopedia. Ed. Trevor N. Dupuy. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 1993. World History in Context. Network. December 5, 2013 LACEY, SHARON TOSI. "Small island, big lessons." Military History 30.2 (2013): 44-53. Historical reference center. Network. November 22. 2013.