THESIS STATEMENT

The Carnation
Revolution led to the
decolonization of the
Portuguese colonies.
 OUTLINE
I. Introduction
II.Estado Novo
III.The MFA
IV.Carnation Revolution
V.The Decolonization
VI.Conclusion
 BRIEF HISTORY
Portuguese colonialism started in the
14th century.
 PORTUGUESE EMPIRE
AFRICA ASIA
Angola East Timor
Cape Verde Macau
Guinea-Bissau
Mozambique
Sao Tome and
Principe
ANTONIO DE OLIVEIRA SALAZAR

 Prime Minister of
Portugal
 Established the
Estado Novo in
1933
 PORTUGAL UNDER THE SALAZAR
Backward economy
Alters constitution and renames colonies
as “Overseas Provinces”
Colonial Act 1933 which determined the
colonies 2 concrete functions:
1.Production
2.Supply
 Censorship and suppressed
oppositions
 Refused the UN 1960
Resolution on Decolonization
 African colonial wars broke out
in 1961
PORTUGAL AS NATO MEMBER
MARCELO CAETANO
 Rule Portugal as
Salazar did
 Liberalized
censorship laws
 Unending African
colonial wars
 THE MFA
 Decline of applicants to the
prestigious Lisbon Military Academy.
 Government went to conscription.
 The obligation to fight in the colonial
wars did not appeal to conscripted
officers.
 THE MFA
The MFA first came together as an
entity on September 9, 1973 to
discuss their grievances and
opposition to the war.
Composed of junior military officers
or Captains.
 GRIEVANCES
Captain Sousa e Castro:
“For thirteen years the soldiers were belittled
and exploited in the war…Personally I can
say that as a sub-lieutenant in the combat
corps I earned 4,500 escudos, less than a
porter at the Imperial Cinema in Luanda. As
a captain commanding a company in
Mozambique I earned less than a barber in
Nampula, 10,000 escudos a month. And I
went for months on end without seeing my
family or my friends.”
New military decree passed by
Caetano in July 1973, improving
promotions for conscript officers.
Provoked a more dangerous
enemy: the professional officers
who had to work for its own
promotions.
ANTONIO DE SPINOLA
 Prominent among the senior
officers
 Published the bestselling
book Portugal and the
Future
 He criticized the regime
 He demanded new political
solutions and self-government
for the colonies
 But he was dismissed by
Caetano on Mach 14, 1973
 THE COUP
Major Otelo de Carvalho
Carefully observed the behavior of the
government forces: the Security Police
and Republican Guard neither have
armored cars and modern automatic
weapons comparable to theirs
and worked in smaller units.
THE PLAN
 Control Lisbon
quickly
 Organized
within 20 days
 April 25th was
the chosen date
 3D’S
Political committee director,
Major Melo Atunes
MFA’s political program: 3D’s
1.Democracy
2.Decolonization
3.Development
 THE CAPTAINS’ MOVEMENT
Grandola Villa Morena was played at
12:25 am
 THE REVOLUTION

“The People
united shall never
be defeated”
Caetano took refuge at the Carmo
Barracks.
Major Salguiero Maia
At 5:45 pm, Spinola went to the
barracks to accept Caetano’s formal
surrender.
 IMPACT
Democracy
Washing away dictatorship in
all of Europe
Growth in population
Decolonization
 THE DECOLONIZATION
Junta for National Salvation,
Spinola as President
Immediate ceasefire in the African
colonial wars
Acceptance of the 1960 UN
Resolution on Decolonization
 THE DECOLONIZATION

July 12, 1974

June 25, 1975

Sept. 24, 1974

July 5, 1975 Nov. 28, 1975

Dec. 20, 1999