People's Revolutionary Army (Grenada)
Encyclopedia
The People’s Revolutionary Army (PRA) was the military
of Grenada
between 1979–1983.
(NJM) who were known as “The 12 Apostles” including Hudson Austin
and 11 others who had gone for secret military training in Guyana
in preparation for the overthrow of the government of Eric Gairy
.
After the New Jewel Movement seized power the army expanded at a rapid pace. By 1983 Grenada’s People’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (PRAF) outnumbered their Eastern Caribbean neighbors combined. The Soviet Union
and Cuba
supplied most of the weapons, and selected soldiers and officers were trained in those countries. By 1983 the Movement was split over the communist connection with one faction being led by Maurice Bishop
who wanted closer ties with the west, and Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
,who wanted to speed up the conversion to a communist state
and who had the backing of General Hudson Austin
.
On October 13th after failing to step down Coard had Bishop placed under house arrest. Then over the next few days, pro-Bishop demonstrations occurred throughout the island and a general strike was called in St. George's
. On Tuesday October 18th demostraters surged through the city chanting pro-Bishop and anti-Coard slogans while police and PRA soldiers watched. The protests reached a climax on October 19th when foreign Minister Unison Whiteman returned from New York where he was scheduled to address the United Nations, began to negotiate for Bishop's release. Whiteman addressed a growing crowd in the streets of St. George's. The crowds went to Mount Royal to free Bishop themselves. At first, Bishop’s guards held their ground and even fired warning shots, but eventually were outnumbered and the demonstrators freed Bishop. Bishop, Whiteman and the demonstrators then went to Fort Rupport to free several of his ministers. Fort Rupport was being used as a base for the People's Revolutionary Army.
The PRA called in reinforcements including 3 BTR-60
s and additional troops. The PRA opened fire on the crowd. Over 100 Grenadians were killed including the column commander, Officer Cadet Conrad Meyers and two other soldiers. The PRA quickly rearrested Bishop, Whiteman, the other Ministers, and three supporters. The Education Minster Jaqueline Creft was beaten to death. The others were shot to death.
After Bishop's death, Hudson Austin
established the Military Revolutionary Council and imposed a 24 hour immediate curfew. Violators were to be shot on sight. The curfew lasted four days and many prominent citizens were arrested. This included former Bishop officials, PRA officers and NJM members thought to be disloyal.
On October 25th 1983, 7,600 troops, mostly from the United States
along with some from the Caribbean Peace Force
invaded Grenada encountering resistance from 1,200 to 1,500 troops of the People's Revolutionary Army. Many of the Grenadian troops surrendered, but some put up stiff resistance against the U.S.-led invasion force.
By October 27th, 1983, most of the Grenadian soldiers had either fled into the jungles or shed their military uniforms in an attempt to blend with the civilian population. Some of these soldiers were pointed out by their opponents to U.S. troops and arrested, while many others returned to Cuba with the help of their supporters.
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
of Grenada
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
between 1979–1983.
History
The army was originally founded in the late 1970s as the National Liberation Army (NLA) by 12 members of the New Jewel MovementNew Jewel Movement
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada...
(NJM) who were known as “The 12 Apostles” including Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
and 11 others who had gone for secret military training in Guyana
Guyana
Guyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
in preparation for the overthrow of the government of Eric Gairy
Eric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
.
After the New Jewel Movement seized power the army expanded at a rapid pace. By 1983 Grenada’s People’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (PRAF) outnumbered their Eastern Caribbean neighbors combined. The Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
supplied most of the weapons, and selected soldiers and officers were trained in those countries. By 1983 the Movement was split over the communist connection with one faction being led by Maurice Bishop
Maurice Bishop
Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People's Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own...
who wanted closer ties with the west, and Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard
Bernard Coard
Winston Bernard Coard was Grenadian Deputy Prime Minister in the People's Revolutionary Government of the New Jewel Movement, who placed Maurice Bishop under house arrest and took control of the government on 14 October 1983....
,who wanted to speed up the conversion to a communist state
Communist state
A communist state is a state with a form of government characterized by single-party rule or dominant-party rule of a communist party and a professed allegiance to a Leninist or Marxist-Leninist communist ideology as the guiding principle of the state...
and who had the backing of General Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
.
On October 13th after failing to step down Coard had Bishop placed under house arrest. Then over the next few days, pro-Bishop demonstrations occurred throughout the island and a general strike was called in St. George's
St. George's, Grenada
St. George's, population 89,018 , with an agglomeration of 4,500 people , is the capital of Grenada, . The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbor....
. On Tuesday October 18th demostraters surged through the city chanting pro-Bishop and anti-Coard slogans while police and PRA soldiers watched. The protests reached a climax on October 19th when foreign Minister Unison Whiteman returned from New York where he was scheduled to address the United Nations, began to negotiate for Bishop's release. Whiteman addressed a growing crowd in the streets of St. George's. The crowds went to Mount Royal to free Bishop themselves. At first, Bishop’s guards held their ground and even fired warning shots, but eventually were outnumbered and the demonstrators freed Bishop. Bishop, Whiteman and the demonstrators then went to Fort Rupport to free several of his ministers. Fort Rupport was being used as a base for the People's Revolutionary Army.
The PRA called in reinforcements including 3 BTR-60
BTR-60
The BTR-60 is the first vehicle in a series of Soviet eight-wheeled armoured personnel carriers. It was developed in the late 1950s as a replacement for the BTR-152 and was seen first time in public in 1961...
s and additional troops. The PRA opened fire on the crowd. Over 100 Grenadians were killed including the column commander, Officer Cadet Conrad Meyers and two other soldiers. The PRA quickly rearrested Bishop, Whiteman, the other Ministers, and three supporters. The Education Minster Jaqueline Creft was beaten to death. The others were shot to death.
After Bishop's death, Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin
Hudson Austin is a former general in thePeople's Revolutionary Army of Grenada. After the killing of Maurice Bishop, he formed a military government with himself as chairman to rule Grenada.-History:...
established the Military Revolutionary Council and imposed a 24 hour immediate curfew. Violators were to be shot on sight. The curfew lasted four days and many prominent citizens were arrested. This included former Bishop officials, PRA officers and NJM members thought to be disloyal.
On October 25th 1983, 7,600 troops, mostly from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
along with some from the Caribbean Peace Force
Caribbean Peace Force
The Caribbean Peace Force , also known as the Eastern Caribbean Peace Force , was an OECS mandated 350-member Peacekeeping Force operating in Grenada, from October 1983 to June 1985, after the Invasion of Grenada, codenamed Operation Urgent Fury, by the United States of America and several other...
invaded Grenada encountering resistance from 1,200 to 1,500 troops of the People's Revolutionary Army. Many of the Grenadian troops surrendered, but some put up stiff resistance against the U.S.-led invasion force.
By October 27th, 1983, most of the Grenadian soldiers had either fled into the jungles or shed their military uniforms in an attempt to blend with the civilian population. Some of these soldiers were pointed out by their opponents to U.S. troops and arrested, while many others returned to Cuba with the help of their supporters.
Weapons
- Makarov PMMakarov PMThe PM is a semi-automatic pistol design. Under the project leadership of Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov, it became the Soviet Union's standard military side arm from 1951-1991.-Development:...
semi-automatic pistol - AKMAKMThe AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
assault rifle - Vz. 52 rifle
- Uzi sub-machine gun
- Sa vz. 23 sub-machine gun
Crew served weapons
- RPG-2RPG-2The RPG-2 was the first rocket-propelled grenade launcher designed in the Soviet Union.-Development:The RPG-2 , was a man-portable, shoulder-launched rocket-propelled grenade anti-armor weapon...
rocket propelled grenade launcher - RPG-7RPG-7The RPG-7 is a widely-produced, portable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launcher. Originally the RPG-7 and its predecessor, the RPG-2, were designed by the Soviet Union, and now manufactured by the Bazalt company...
rocket propelled grenade launcher - Bren light machine gun
- PKMPkmPkm or PKM indicates the following:* Passenger-kilometre or pkm is a unit of passenger transportation quantity* Personal knowledge management* PK machine gun* PKMzeta* Parallel Kinematics Machine* Short for Pokémon...
machine gun - DShKDShKThe DShK 1938 is a Soviet heavy machine gun firing the 12.7x108mm cartridge. The weapon was also used as a heavy infantry machine gun, in which case it was frequently deployed with a two-wheeled mounting and a single-sheet armour-plate shield...
heavy machine gun
Anti aircraft guns and artillery
- ZU-23-2ZU-23-2The ZU-23-2, also known as ZU-23, is a Soviet towed 23 mm anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. ZU stands for Zenitnaya Ustanovka - anti-aircraft mount.-Development history:...
- 4 Ex-Cuban ZiS-3ZiS-3The 76-mm divisional gun M1942 was a Soviet 76.2 mm divisional field gun used during World War II. ZiS was a factory designation and stood for Zavod imeni Stalina , the honorific title of Artillery Factory No...
76.2mm Field guns (not used during the invasion)