Chapter 1007 Coup

In Lisbon, in a simple small coffee shop, Carmona, dressed in a costume, is sitting at a small table, drinking coffee slowly. Because it was still early, there was no one in the coffee shop.

Not long after, a tall young man sat down in front of Carmona. After ordering a cup of coffee, I started talking to Carmona.

"Your Excellency, I don't know what you are thinking about." The young man asked. He was Menders, the military attache at the German embassy in Portugal.

Mendes had previously contacted Carmona, as well as Army Secretary Cabesadas and Army Chief of Staff Da Costa. He revealed to them that Germany intends to support them in launching a coup.

This makes Cabezadas and Da Costa very interested. If they can overthrow the current government and become the leader of Portugal, it is undoubtedly their dream.

In another time and space, it was these soldiers who overthrew the Portuguese government a few years later and established a dictatorial government ruled by soldiers. Carmona, on the other hand, came from behind and ruled Portugal dictatorially for more than 20 years.

"Your Excellency, Your Excellency the Minister and the Chief of Staff are very interested in your proposal. However, if we launch a military coup to overthrow the current government, the Portuguese society may fall into turmoil. In that case, it will affect the whole of Portugal. Both did a lot of damage," Carmona said.

"If you act fast enough, you should be able to quell the political situation in Portugal soon. We can provide you with a batch of weapons and funds for this coup," Mendes said.

"Your Excellency, I don't know how much help the German side can provide us?" Carmona asked.

"Twenty million Reichsmarks! And enough equipment to arm two infantry divisions," Mendes said.

Portugal's total population is only over 6 million, and its army is not large. The combined army and navy are less than 100,000. Carmona and others can control 80% of the Portuguese army. If they launch a military coup, no one can stop them at all.

Twenty million marks and the equipment of two infantry divisions made Carmona very satisfied. Germany's support for them is undoubtedly very great. If a military coup is launched, the probability of success will be very high.

"So what does Germany need?" asked Carmona.

"Azores! We hope that after your military coup is successful, you can sell the Azores to the Empire. Of course, the price will satisfy you. In the previous negotiations between our foreign minister and the Portuguese government, the Azores The offer for the archipelago has been raised to 500 million marks. If you have no objections, then the empire hopes to buy the Azores at this price. I believe that if you have this amount of funds, you will be able to pacify Portugal." Mendes said.

"Your Excellency, I will report to Your Excellency the Minister and the Chief of Staff." After Carmona finished speaking, he drank the coffee in his cup and left the coffee shop.

There was a smile on the corner of Mendes' mouth. He believed that the conditions they gave would definitely interest these soldiers in Portugal. In this way, once the military coup they launched is successful, Germany will be able to easily obtain the Azores.

If, before the Portuguese government agreed to sell the Azores to Germany, Germany would not need to engage in these small tricks. But who made the Portuguese government wholeheartedly want to be a fool and have both sides? That is absolutely unacceptable to Germany.

After Carmona went back, he immediately reported the conditions proposed by Germany to Minister of the Army Cabesadas and Army Chief of Staff Da Costa.

"The funds of 20 million marks and the equipment of two infantry divisions can make our military strength stronger. If we launch a coup, the government will have nothing to do with us." Staff Da Costa is obviously moved up.

"Do the Germans really only want the Azores and not interfere in Portugal's internal affairs?" asked Cabesadas. What he worried about was that after the successful coup d'etat, Germany would take the opportunity to interfere in Portugal's internal affairs. In that case, they might become puppets. And this is also unacceptable to them. Rather than that, it is better to maintain the status quo.

"The Germans promised that they only wanted the Azores. Moreover, they didn't want the Azores for nothing, but bought the Azores from us for 500 million marks." Carmona continued.

"The Azores is in our hands. It is simply a time bomb. The Germans and the Americans will put pressure on us for this. It is better to sell it to the Germans in exchange for 500 million marks. That is for the For us, it’s a huge amount of money. With this huge amount of money, we can do a lot of things!” Da Costa said.

Cabesadas thought for a while, then nodded. Obviously, the conditions proposed by the German side also moved him very much.

"Since this is the case, let's promise the Germans! The government of Sidonio Pais did not make Portugal stable, but seriously offended the Germans. We must save Portugal!" Cabesada said. S said.

"Yes, Your Excellency." Both Da Costa and Carmona replied excitedly.

Subsequently, the Portuguese military and Germany began secret contacts.

Germany provided them with 20 million marks in funds, which they used to buy generals and senior officers in the Portuguese army so that they could support the coup.

At the same time, Germany also transported the equipment of two infantry divisions from the country to Portugal, allowing Cabezadas' cronies to secretly change their equipment and improve their combat effectiveness.

When all these were ready, it was already February 1919. As for the secret collusion between the Portuguese military and Germany, the Portuguese government has no knowledge at all.

Perhaps it was because Germany did not reveal anything after being rejected, which paralyzed the Sidonio Pais government, thinking that Germany had given up its plan to occupy the Azores. They never expected that Germany's counterattack was faster and more ruthless than they expected!

On February 8, 1919, a mutiny broke out in the barracks of the 1st Infantry Division of the Portuguese Army outside Lisbon. Subsequently, the army entered downtown Lisbon and captured the Presidential Palace, Prime Minister's Office and other government agencies.

President Sidonio Pais and other senior officials of the Portuguese government were all arrested.

Army Minister Cabesardas announced that Portugal has entered a state of emergency, and he will temporarily exercise presidential powers.