Post by mullauna on Aug 12, 2019 2:43:37 GMT
In 1968 the aging Portuguese dictator suffers a stroke and is replaced by another university professor Marcelo Caetano as prime minister. He chose to generally follow the policies of Salazar which was his mistake. There were many within the regime who suggested slight changes when he came to power. Portugal was in it's seventh year of a colonial war which was going on in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea. In Angola the situation had been stabilized and liberation groups had little effect, in Mozambique they were confined to the remote northern portion of the territory but in Guinea under a unified group they were having an effect and controlled one-third of the territory. By 1974 two-thirds of the Portuguese Guinea were under rebel control and the situation was at a stalemate. It was here that 70% of all Portuguese casualties occured and there was more military spending here than in Angola or Mozambique.
Caetano could have offered independence to Portuguese Guinea in 1969 under a friendly regime as the French had done in many of there colonies. This would have given the Portuguese much needed men and resources to be used in Mozambique (In Angola the liberation groups had done a pretty good job of defeating each other by 1973). He could have accepted more South African and Rhodesian aid in combating the guerillas as well. Finally Portugal's government could have changed to a federal system with Angola and Mozambique as Autonomous States, while the Cape Verde Islands and Sao Tome and Principe could have been upgraded to the same status as the Azores and Madeira Is. Macau and Portuguese Timor could have been autonomous provinces (not large enough to be states). Possibly the restoration of the monarchy could have been in store (as in Spain) say by 1976. Some political liberalization would have been possible but it is doubtful whether Portugal would be an EU member or would have a democratic government.
Caetano could have offered independence to Portuguese Guinea in 1969 under a friendly regime as the French had done in many of there colonies. This would have given the Portuguese much needed men and resources to be used in Mozambique (In Angola the liberation groups had done a pretty good job of defeating each other by 1973). He could have accepted more South African and Rhodesian aid in combating the guerillas as well. Finally Portugal's government could have changed to a federal system with Angola and Mozambique as Autonomous States, while the Cape Verde Islands and Sao Tome and Principe could have been upgraded to the same status as the Azores and Madeira Is. Macau and Portuguese Timor could have been autonomous provinces (not large enough to be states). Possibly the restoration of the monarchy could have been in store (as in Spain) say by 1976. Some political liberalization would have been possible but it is doubtful whether Portugal would be an EU member or would have a democratic government.
