Wilt of the Carnation

On April 25th, 1974, the Estado Nova of Portugal was overthrown through a popular military coup by the Armed Forces Movement, a group that both opposed the Colonial Wars in Africa, and the proposed laws upon the military that would have both changed the command structure, and possibly cut down costs in regard to the ever more expensive wars in Africa. After a brief fight with moderate elements, who would win out, negotiations would begin with independence groups in the African colonies, with their subsequent independence by the end of 1975. The result would be the collapse of the Portuguese economy, Civil wars in both Mozambique and Angola, and the displacement of millions of Portuguese who had formerly lived in the African colonies, having left in fear for their lives with no personnel belongings. Portugal and its former colonies would have to wait at least twenty years before recovery could begin, and would not fully recover until well into the 2000's.

But could things have been different? If the revolution had failed, would things have been better or worse off for the states involved? And the biggest question, would Portugal been able to maintain the empire it had already historically fought for thirteen years to maintain? This Article looks into that very question.