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https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/last-u-s-marines-leave-beirut?cmpid=email-hist-tdih-2021-0 [login to see] 1&om_rid=&~campaign=hist-tdih-2021-0226
The last U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force leave Beirut, the war-torn Lebanese capital where some 250 of the original 800 Marines lost their lives during the problem-plagued 18-month mission.
In 1975, a bloody civil war erupted in Lebanon, with Palestinian and leftist Muslim guerrillas battling militias of the Christian Phalange Party, the Maronite Christian community, and other groups. During the next few years, Syrian, Israeli, and United Nations interventions failed to resolve the factional fighting, and on August 20, 1982, a multinational force including 800 U.S. Marines was ordered to Beirut to help coordinate the Palestinian withdrawal.
The Marines left Lebanese territory on September 10 but returned in strengthened numbers on September 29, following the massacre of Palestinian refugees by a Christian militia. The next day, the first U.S. Marine to die during the mission was killed while defusing a bomb. Other Marines fell prey to snipers. On April 18, 1983, a suicide bomber driving a van devastated the U.S. embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans. Then, on October 23, a Lebanese terrorist drove a truck packed with explosives into the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. military personnel. That same morning, 58 French soldiers were killed in their barracks two miles away in a separate suicide terrorist attack. The identities of the embassy and barracks bombers were not determined, but they were suspected to be Shiite terrorists associated with Iran.
After the barracks bombing, many questioned whether President Ronald Reagan had a solid policy aim in Lebanon. Serious questions also arose over the quality of security in the American sector of war-torn Beirut. The U.S. peacekeeping force occupied an exposed area near the airport, but for political reasons the Marine commander had not been allowed to maintain a completely secure perimeter before the barracks attack. In a national address on the night of October 23, President Reagan vowed to keep the Marines in Lebanon, but just four months later he announced the end of the American role in the peacekeeping force. On February 26, 1984, the main force of Marines left Lebanon, leaving just a small contingent to guard the U.S. embassy in Beirut.
The last U.S. Marines sent to Lebanon as part of a multinational peacekeeping force leave Beirut, the war-torn Lebanese capital where some 250 of the original 800 Marines lost their lives during the problem-plagued 18-month mission.
In 1975, a bloody civil war erupted in Lebanon, with Palestinian and leftist Muslim guerrillas battling militias of the Christian Phalange Party, the Maronite Christian community, and other groups. During the next few years, Syrian, Israeli, and United Nations interventions failed to resolve the factional fighting, and on August 20, 1982, a multinational force including 800 U.S. Marines was ordered to Beirut to help coordinate the Palestinian withdrawal.
The Marines left Lebanese territory on September 10 but returned in strengthened numbers on September 29, following the massacre of Palestinian refugees by a Christian militia. The next day, the first U.S. Marine to die during the mission was killed while defusing a bomb. Other Marines fell prey to snipers. On April 18, 1983, a suicide bomber driving a van devastated the U.S. embassy in Beirut, killing 63 people, including 17 Americans. Then, on October 23, a Lebanese terrorist drove a truck packed with explosives into the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 241 U.S. military personnel. That same morning, 58 French soldiers were killed in their barracks two miles away in a separate suicide terrorist attack. The identities of the embassy and barracks bombers were not determined, but they were suspected to be Shiite terrorists associated with Iran.
After the barracks bombing, many questioned whether President Ronald Reagan had a solid policy aim in Lebanon. Serious questions also arose over the quality of security in the American sector of war-torn Beirut. The U.S. peacekeeping force occupied an exposed area near the airport, but for political reasons the Marine commander had not been allowed to maintain a completely secure perimeter before the barracks attack. In a national address on the night of October 23, President Reagan vowed to keep the Marines in Lebanon, but just four months later he announced the end of the American role in the peacekeeping force. On February 26, 1984, the main force of Marines left Lebanon, leaving just a small contingent to guard the U.S. embassy in Beirut.
Last U.S. Marines leave Beirut
Posted from history.com
Beirut
Marines
Middle East
American History
Military History
Edited 4 y ago
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 7
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I remember this happening and was shocked and dismayed as large numbers of us were... Thank you for sharing this, Lt Col Charlie Brown!
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I had gotten out of the Marines Coros and was in college. The say it happened i was in a history class and remember how angry I got. I recall that one of those Marines went through Parris Island with me.
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What a mess that whole thing was. Eight sides (Shiite militia, Sunni militia, Druse militia, Lebanese gov't, Syria, Israel, Marionite militia, and the PLO), and we jumped right into the middle. On top of that, there were seven phases divided by fairly lengthy cease fires, and the allies and opponents shifted constantly from phase to phase. It was almost impossible to keep track of who was fighting who at different times.
(An intel friend of mine said that the only faction to fight in all seven phases was the PLO, and they were the only faction that was never on the winning side of any phase. After this, the Mossad became very invested in keeping Arafat alive and in charge of the PLO, worried that any possible replacement would have to be more competent. They secretly leaked tips about his internal opponents for years to insure he remained top dog. That’s what the guy told me, anyway, and I have no reason not to believe it.)
(An intel friend of mine said that the only faction to fight in all seven phases was the PLO, and they were the only faction that was never on the winning side of any phase. After this, the Mossad became very invested in keeping Arafat alive and in charge of the PLO, worried that any possible replacement would have to be more competent. They secretly leaked tips about his internal opponents for years to insure he remained top dog. That’s what the guy told me, anyway, and I have no reason not to believe it.)
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