Humberto Delgado - The Fearless General - A Portuguese Timeline

I was allowed by Ian as can be seen in https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/members/ian-the-admin.1/ to continue the timeline of https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/members/pamc.10946/ in https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/o-general-sem-medo-the-fearless-general.214110/page-3. I want to do so as I'm also Portuguese and interested in it. The user's unfortunately inactive. But let's start, as pamc's timeline reads: "American embassy in Lisbon, June 1958

Louis Morgan was sweating. Despite the hot summer day outside, he felt cold beads of sweat forming in his forehead threatning to slide down his face. He was nervous. He stepped into the ambassador's office, being greeted with a smile that quickly turned to a worried stare.
The ambassador was an old friend of him, they knew eachother since they both studied at Yale university together. Morgan never actually finished his studies, entering the military. He was only in Lisbon because he was in charge of the five guards of the embassy as a military attaché.
- What's wrong? - asked he ambassador, a middle aged man, old before his years, with short balding snow-white hair and a white moustache. Despite this grandpa-ish appearance he was anything but frail. His back was straight and the posture comanded respect.
- I bring you an important message from the General.
- You mean The General? Delgado?
- Yes. I met him back in the United States when he was part of the NATO training program. When I came to Portugal I got mysel in contac with him again. - Morgan said, slowly, as to pace himself and dominate his naturally nervous disposition
- He's quite the popular one, ain't he? Do you think he'll win the elections? - Asked the ambassador
- No. There's no hope. I really should tell you his message
- Then say it
- He said the elections will be rigged. Ever since he stated that he'll sack Salazar that the PIDE is preparing everything to rig the elections and has done everything in it's power to limit Delgado's movements. They got him under a 24 hour surveillance, according to the man himself and he's not one to lie. This very message was given to me by a supporter of his in the back alley of a cafe in order to go around the PIDE. He's planing to take action on the day the electoral results are annouced and with the help of some military units he'll take Lisbon by assault and bring the Salazar regime down.
- Those are bold claims. - The ambassador said, not believing it possible but he was too smart to dismiss even the wildest of plots
- Not so bold as you'd expect. According to the supporter, Delgado has several key figures on his side including the military governor of the Lisbon military district and most military units around here are with him. Only the PIDE and the police seem not to be trustworthy as they don't seem to have approached the subject of revolting with them. - Said Morgan, feeling more relaxed
- Salazar is a trusted ally. Should we warn him? What does Delgado really ask? - The ambassador sounded nervous. He didn't like change.
- Delgado asks us one thing. He asks us not to oppose him. He does not , however, ask for support. He wants us to be passive. - Morgan said, with voice that could cut through steel
- That's higly unorthodox. Are we even sure that this "revolution" is a good idea? What if Portugal get's really unstable and ends up siding with Ivan and communism. The PCP (portuguese communist party) is the main opposition and the longest lived one.
- Let me assure you of one thing - Morgan said to his friend - Delgado will suceed. But fear not. He was raised as member of the Estado Novo. Communism is as alien to him as it is to us in the US. He really admires America, he said so to me. His stay there showed him what true democracy was.
The ambassador sat deeply in his chair. He paused for a long minute then stood up and lowered his voice - This "revolution" you just told me? Officially, I have no knowledge of it, you understand? I will let it run it's course and if Delgado suceeds, I'll ask the White House for instructions and tell them how it was a really unexpected turn of events. If I didn't know you for so long, I would never have believed anything of what you told me. Delgado is a lucky bastard to have charmed you so deeply. I do hope he succeeds. But we can't put all our eggs in one basket. We'll have to wait..."
 
Now, I will continue with my own ideas:
Part 2
Preparations and coup
8 June 1958
Midday
It's election day, the enfranchised go vote, with the choices being Américo Tomás and Humberto Delgado.
One of the voters for Humberto Delgado, named João, says in low tone while returning home: - They were looking at me. Hopefully, the coup will succeed.
Meanwhile, in a friend's house, Humberto Delgado talks with General Botelho Moniz who also supports democracy and is against Salazar's colonialist ideas.
Delgado asks: - Is everything going as planned?
Botelho Moniz replies: - Of course. All the forces are getting ready. As you know we've got many officers of all rankings on our side. They've informed me, that, they've got the necessary ground forces and airplanes. The civilian supporters, that, we armed are also ready to strike.
They then receive a telegram from President Craveiro Lopes. It reads: - My friends, it's almost time. The U.S. ambassador Bonbright assured me, that, they won't interfere and that he hopes, that, we succeed.
Delgado replies: Of course. My friend, Louis assured that. Thank God for him.

At night
Midnight
Lopes meets Delgado and Moniz in a club.
He says: - Let's go to that room.
There, they meet João who asks:
- How many hours are left until the announcement?
Delgado replies: 10.
Botelho Moniz says: - We must wait through the night.

9 June
8 AM
Humberto Delgado says: - Today is the day.
He then received a telegram from one of the commanders of the ground forces saying: - We are ready to strike as soon as the announcement happens. The air force has said, that, it is ready as well.
Humberto Delgado replies: - Very well.

10 AM
The government official responsible for the elections reveals the official results: Américo Tomás - 76,42%
Humberto Delgado - 23.58%
With Salazar at his side, Américo Tomás starts giving a victory speech, saying - I'm honoured that...
However then soldiers, tanks and armed civiliains including João appear in front of the speech place, the Assembly of the Republic, the Palace of Belém and the Palace of São Bento.
Both Tomás and Salazar are shocked asking: - What is happening? Who is it?
Then Delgado who is at a close distance replies: - Me.
Tomás and Salazar reply: - You?! How?! Why?!
Botelho Moniz and Craveiro Lopes then appear and together with Delgado they say: We knew, that, the elections wouldn't be free and fair so we went for a coup.
Troops then sorround Tomás and Salazar. They, seeing no way to stop the coup, surrender.
Meanwhile, loyalist bases are bombed by rebel airplanes.
 
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Will this save the Portuguese Union? A more democratic and left-wing metropole may make concessions to the Angolans and Mozambican elites to try and head off separatism and communism. Hopefully we'll see a democratic, lusotropicalism with true racial equality that provides a model for South Africa.
 
Will this save the Portuguese Union? A more democratic and left-wing metropole may make concessions to the Angolans and Mozambican elites to try and head off separatism and communism. Hopefully we'll see a democratic, lusotropicalism with true racial equality that provides a model for South Africa.

Delgado himself was right-wing though the left-wing supported him. He envisioned some sort of federation of Portugal and the colonies.
 
Hours later: Many people celebrate throughout the country.
Salazar resigns and, together with Tomás, goes into exile in Spain.

10 June: Delgado is sworned in as president. He appoints Botelho Moniz as prime-minister until legislative elections can be held.

17 June: The National Union is dissolved. So is the PIDE. New political parties soon appear. The communist party remains illegal because of Delgado's anti-communism but its members and supporters are treated far better than in Salazar's time.

10 July: Legislative elections are held, with franchise enlarged to everyone over 18 and the colonies. The centre-right party wins with 55% of the votes.

1 August: A new constitution is approved by the Assembly of the Republic, giving Portugal a semi-presidential political system and freedom of speech and religion. Portugal enters a federation with Guinea-Bissau, Angola and Mozambique until they are deemed ready for full independence. The Azores, Madeira, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cabinda, East-Timor and Macau become autonomous regions. The indigenous of the colonies thus become full citizens.
 
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10 August: The government, with American and Western European support, puts into place a social and economic reform program, in order to modernize Portugal and the colonies. New labour unions are legalized. Education is expanded. A moderate land reform program begins, distributing unexplored and fertile land to younger and more educated farmers, which is is expected to reduce the influence of socialist and communist ideas. Incentives and benefits are given for the creation of Portuguese companies and for foreign companies to settle in Portugal.

20 August: A referendum in Portuguese India takes place, in which the majority votes to join India. Portugal thus transfers its Indian possessions to India.

1959: After long negotiations, the Communist Party is legalized, having guaranteed, that, it will only resort to democratic means and not violent ones.

1960: As in our timeline, Portugal is one of the founding members of EFTA.
 
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