On this day, 36 years ago, December 16, 1989 (November 19, 1989 in the lunar calendar), the United States invaded Panama. In December 1989, the United States invaded the Republic of Panama in Central America with a sudden surprise attack, causing an unprecedented disaster to this small country with a population of only 2 million and an area of less than 80,000 square kilometers. Operation "Just Cause" makes a strategic plan. The United States invaded Panama, ultimately to preserve its vested interests in the Panama Canal. In 1903, the United States forced Panama, which had just gained independence, to sign unequal treaties, obtained the right to dig the Panama Canal, and permanently leased the canal and Yunhe District. The completion of the Panama Canal in 1914 shortened the voyage between the Atlantic Ocean and the Indian Ocean by more than 10,000 kilometers. The United States has always been the main user and beneficiary of the canal. The total annual revenue of the canal is about more than 300 million US dollars, most of which is earned by the United States, and Panama can only receive a small fraction of it. The United States designated the 16.1-kilometer west bank of the canal as the Yunhe District and established the U.S. Southern Command to prevent Panamanians from entering. The Yunhe District became a "country within a country." The newly commissioned F-117 stealth fighter jet dropped precision-guided bombs at the Panamanian Defense Force. For decades, the Panamanian people have been constantly fighting to recover sovereignty over the Panama Canal. After long-term efforts, the two countries finally signed a new Canal Treaty in 1977. The new treaty stipulates that after noon on December 31, 1999, the Canal will be fully managed by Panama. Since 1990, the director of the Yunhe District Management Committee should be a Panamanian (the deputy director should be an American). The U.S. Southern Command must also withdraw from the Yunhe District at the same time. For the United States, the canal is its lifeline. Losing the right to manage the canal will bring serious political, economic and strategic consequences to it. Therefore, the United States must do everything possible to retain its interests in the canal and Yunhe District. U.S. troops occupy the Presidential Palace in Panama. In order to maintain its interests in the Panama Yunhe District, the United States attempts to establish a regime that obeys the United States to replace the current Panamanian regime headed by the iron-fisted Noriega, which firmly advocates recovering sovereignty over the canal. In order to force Noriega to step down, the U.S. government used various means, including economic sanctions, diplomatic inducements, and military threats against Panama, supporting the opposition in Panama in setting up a "wave of reneging promises." On October 3, 1989, after some mid-and lower-level military officers in Panama failed to launch a military coup, U.S. President Bush approved a $3 million appropriation for the CIA to instigate a second military coup. At the same time, the United States secretly sent 4500 additional troops to Panama and airlifted a large number of tanks, armored vehicles, and helicopter gunships. The United States 'attempt to directly invade Panama became apparent. The US military conducts street warfare. In order to conceal people's eyes and ears and deceive public opinion, the United States deliberately creates excuses to invade Panama. One of the sensational excuses found by the United States is to "crack down on drug smuggling." Drug smuggling has been the most common international issue to arouse public outrage since the 1980s. The United States accused Panamanian government head Noriega of participating in international drug smuggling activities and being implicated in Colombia drug trafficking gangs. In February 1988, the Reagan administration formally charged Noriega through a grand jury in the federal court in Miami for "participating in drug trafficking activities." This time,"arresting" the "drug traffickers" became an important "reason" for sending troops. Another excuse for the United States to send troops is for "self-defense." At 9 p.m. on December 16, four U.S. officers clashed with Panamanian Defense Force soldiers while driving through the street where the Panamanian Defense Force Command is located. Both sides drew guns and fired. An officer of the U.S. Marine Corps was killed and Panamanian Three people were injured. After the incident, the United States accused Panama of provoking the incident, and Panama accused the Americans of shooting first. In response, the U.S. Department of Defense issued a statement, threatening to carry out "self-defense" in order to protect "the safety of Americans." U.S. President Bush said he would take "retaliatory actions" against Panama. The Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a strong protest with the United States. In this way, both sides mobilized their troops and were on alert. The killing of an American soldier became the trigger for this war.