Episode 500(!): Who's Afraid of Grenada Pt 2 of Summer Series 2025

Show Notes Episode 500(!): Who's Afraid of Grenada? Part 2 of Summer Series 2025 This week Host Dave Bledsoe dressed up in his old Air Force dress uniform and staggered into a bar insisting he was there to “liberate” the Jameson. (His invasion was repulsed by an annoyed bouncer) On the show this week part two of Summer Series 2025 “You Can Have A Little War, As A Treat” continues with 1983’s Invasion of Grenada. Along the way we discover that Dave may have covered up a brutal murder in the late 1980’s. (Admittedly, the victim was a swan.) Then we dive right into the history of the tiny island nation of Grenada, from its discovery by Columbus, to colonization by the French and the British. From there we discuss how the long claws of Communism grabbed the peaceful island via the construction of an airport. (That was actually paid for by the United Kingdom.) Then we learn why Ronald Reagan sent thousands of US Troops to “rescue” some perfectly safe medical students. (Hint: It was politically expedient.) Our Sponsor this week is the Grenada Tourism Board, who invite you to try a little Pure Grenada! We open the show with news from 1983 and close with Berbice who loves his island. Show Theme: Hypnostate Prelude to Common Sense The Show on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/whatthehellpodcast.bsky.social The Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whatthehellpodcast/ The Show on Youtube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjxP5ywpZ-O7qu_MFkLXQUQ The Show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whatthehellwereyouthinkingpod/ Our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/kHmmrjptrq Our Website: https://www.whatthehellpodcast.com Patreon:  https://www.patreon.com/Whatthehellpodcast The Show Line: 347 687 9601 Closing Music: https://youtu.be/goEb2ll6yYo?si=PcnTBG6jZH40Unj0 Buy Our Stuff: https://www.seltzerkings.com/shop Citations Needed: Address by Prime Minister Maurice Bishop of Grenada (10 October 1979) https://web.archive.org/web/20081006090208/http://www.assatashakur.org/forum/carriers-torch/3103-maurice-bishop-speech-34th-general-assembly-united-nations-new-york.html Wikipedia: Maurice Bishop https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_Bishop Touching Down in Granada https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/26/us/briefing-058430.html Wikipedia: United States invasion of Grenada https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_invasion_of_Grenada Grenada Invasion: History and Significance https://www.thoughtco.com/grenada-invasion-4571025 TRAPPED IN THE INVASION OF GRENADA https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/30/nyregion/trapped-in-the-invasion-of-grenada.html STUDENTS REFLECT ON GRENADA INVASION https://www.nytimes.com/1983/11/06/nyregion/students-reflect-on-grenada-invasion.html National archives: Reagan blindsided Thatcher over 1983 Grenada invasion https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/aug/01/margaret-thatcher-reagan-grenada-invasion-national-archives Grenada Move Earns Reagan Broad Political Gains, Poll Shows https://web.archive.org/web/20240709084950/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1983/11/09/grenada-move-earns-reagan-broad-political-gains-poll-shows/6c7b2ecd-5c9c-4aea-946c-408eef6b61a6/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices