The Response of Salazars Portugal to the Challenges of the Colonial War (1961—1968)

Portugal waged a colonial war for almost twelve years. Such a lengthy conflict for a poor country raises the question of the strategies that António Salazar's regime used to counter African national liberation movements. Although the war in the Portuguese colonies is covered in extensive historiography, most researchers focus on the study of the actual fighting. The question of other, non-violent methods that the Portuguese used to hold their possessions remains insufficiently studied. Based on documents from the National Archives of Torre do Tombo, this article examines the ratio of forceful and non-coercive responses that the New State gave to the African challenge. The small number of troops scattered over vast territories forced the Salazar government not only to use brute force, but also to reform the colonies. The military and secret services reported about their need even before the start of a full-scale armed struggle, but only an uprising in the colonies forced Lisbon to start reforms. Their main goal was to improve the economic situation in overseas possessions. This was partly achieved thanks to the creation of a single economic space of the colonies and the metropole. Nevertheless, the reforms failed to stop the war, and as a result, the Portuguese resorted mainly to brute force, which was reflected in budgetary policy: Lisbon increased spending on defense in the colonies faster than on the civil sphere.

Keywords

Portugal, colonies, colonial war, Angola, Salazar, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau

Received

03.09.2023

Publication date

20.11.2023

Number of characters

37034

Cite

GOST	Filatov G. The Response of Salazar's Portugal to the Challenges of the Colonial War (1961—1968) // ISTORIYA – 2023. – V. 14. – Issue 10 (132) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840028582-9-1 (circulation date: 15.05.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840028582-9
MLA	Filatov, Georgy "The Response of Salazar's Portugal to the Challenges of the Colonial War (1961—1968)." ISTORIYA 14.10 (132) (2023) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840028582-9
APA	Filatov G. (2023). The Response of Salazar's Portugal to the Challenges of the Colonial War (1961—1968). ISTORIYA 14(10 (132)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840028582-9

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