In October of the year, political upheaval struck Grenada as General Hudson Austin led a coup d'état that resulted in the execution of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop, a Marxist leader who had been in power since 1979. Bishop's government had garnered criticism from the United States for its ties to the Soviet Union and Cuba, raising concerns in Washington about the spread of communism in the Caribbean. Following the coup, there were reports of increased instability and violence on the island, prompting the U.S. government to act. On October 25, 1983, with the invocation of the Monroe Doctrine, President Ronald Reagan authorized a military intervention, dubbed Operation Urgent Fury, aimed at restoring order, ensuring the safety of American citizens living in Grenada, and re-establishing a government aligned with U.S. interests. Coordinated with the regional allies of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, the U.S. invasion began with a airborne assault followed by ground forces securing key locations throughout the capital, St. George's, and the island. The operation faced resistance but ultimately succeeded in toppling the Marxist regime within a matter of days.