Huh. So Muslims had been ravaging Europe, Asia and Africa for two centuries, but the second they messed with the USA, the Marines put a stop to the whole thing.
Would that it ever be so! (I'm not holding my breath)
DTOM
I watched both programs. The Marines' campaign in Tripoli (the state, not the city - present-day Libya) was the precursor to our action in Afghanistan 3 years ago. We hired some local and European mercenaries, marched 500 miles from Egypt, and took the second-largest city in the Barbary state, with the aid of U.S. Navy firepower. In the end though, we paid the random for the 300 sailors that were captured after the U.S.S. Philadelphia ran aground, after negotiating with the ruler there. It seems the United States has had a weak State Department since Jefferson's time.
William Eaton, 8 Marines and a midshipmen put a stop to the whole thing! One of the greatest stories of the United States Military's complete dominance over any enemy it faces. I'm writing a book about it if I can ever finish the book I'm writing now. The Tripolitan War, well forgotten by many, has great stories of valor.
No, actually the president of the time bought them off for a decade or so.
Then after an insult to the US, the Marines were sent in with some Mercenaries and some Sailors and took the Pasha's palace.
It was not a strictly Marine operation, but it was led by Marines, cooperating with Sailors, who also had some mercenaries with them, and the mercenaries outnumbered the Marines and Sailors combined.
Still, Lt Pressly O'Bannon led the charge.
Someone will post a link soon on the details of the raid and why.