During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union engaged in a fierce ideological struggle, often playing out in proxy wars in various regions of the world. Particularly concerning for the US was the rise of communist revolutionary movements in Central America and the Caribbean, which were perceived as a direct threat to American interests in the region. The fear of communism's spread became especially palpable when the Soviet Union, led by Leonid Brezhnev, provided substantial military and economic aid to Nicaragua's Sandinista government, prompting President Ronald Reagan to launch an aggressive campaign to counter the Soviet influence. This period, characterized by heightened tensions, covert operations, and proxy wars, marked a critical chapter in the Cold War dynamics, with the potential for direct confrontation between the superpowers.
