Operation Blue Bat

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It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into 1958 Lebanon crisis. (Discuss)

Lebanon crisis of 1958

US Marines on patrol in Beirut, summer of 1958.

Date	1958
Location	Lebanon
Result	Stabilization of Lebanon

Belligerents

United States

Insurgency

Strength

8,509 U.S. Army soldiers
5,670 USMC marines
U.S. Sixth Fleet

Casualties and losses

Four dead (Three by accident, one from hostile fire)

Operation Blue Bat was the name given to the 1958 operation in which the United States intervened in the Lebanon crisis.

1 Background
2 The operation
3 Aftermath
4 See also
5 Source
6 External links

[edit] Background

In 1958, tensions in Lebanon had risen amongst its Muslim population over the country's alignment with the western powers, as well as suspicion that President Camille Chamoun sought to alter the Constitution to extend the length of time under which he could serve as President. Though some believe the United States supported him in this effort, review of FRUS indicates Eisenhower was adamant this not occur. Nevertheless, this suspicion did affect the behavior of Lebanese civilians. Sunni Muslims pushed for Lebanon to join the newly formed United Arab Republic (then composed of Egypt and Syria), but pro-west supporters, including President Camille Chamoun refused. After the pro-west monarchy in Iraq was toppled in a coup in the same year and faced with a rebellion by Muslims, Chamoun asked the United States for help.

[edit] The operation

In response, President Dwight Eisenhower dispatched a mixed force on July 15, 1958, comprised of over fourteen thousand soldiers from both the army, Marine Corps and supported by the Sixth Fleet of the United States Navy and the United States Air Force to bolster the Lebanese government from threat of coup. The operation called for Beirut International Airport to be secured first, followed by the city's port and all roads leading between the two and the city itself.

[edit] Aftermath

The operation, in conjunction with the resignation of Chamoun as President of Lebanon and his replacement by Fuad Chehab was largely a success. Tensions faded and the government was secured under new leadership. The operation ended on October 25 of the same year. Casualties were remarkably light, with only three soldiers dying in accidents and one killed by a sniper.

The operation is little discussed today. However, in a 1990 essay by leading American intellectual Noam Chomsky entitled "If the Nuremberg Laws were applied...(then every post war American President would be hanged)" he states "what about Eisenhower? You could argue over whether his overthrow of the government of Guatemala was a crime... The invasion of Lebanon in 1958, I don't know, you could argue. A lot of people were killed."