Chile 1973 - the Other 911: The Downfall of Salvador Allende by David François

Author:David François [François, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History
ISBN: 9781912174959
Goodreads: 36027278
Publisher: Helion & Company
Published: 2018-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

An M113 APC (foreground, left) and a M41 Walker Bulldog tank in the suburbs of Santiago, early in the morning of 11 September 1973. (Albert Grandolini Collection)

The military deployed in the Concepcion area followed the so-called Tijera Plan. Troops commanded by General Washington Carrasco quickly seized all strategic positions – including the local university – expending only a few bullets in the process. In order to avoid provoking local miners, Carrasco then decided not to deploy troops to Lota: instead, he left the Carabineros to secure this town.175 Similarly, the Navy quickly established itself in control of Talcahuano.

In the centre of the country, Lieutenant-Colonel Ariosto Lapostol ordered the troops of the Arica Regiment on to the streets of La Serena and to arrest the communist intendant; in San Antonio, Colonel Contreras arrested all the leaders of the UP, while the troops of the Membrillar and Colchagua Regiments quickly established themselves in control over Rancagua and San Fernando. Two GAP operatives that were travelling to Santiago were arrested.

In Talca, troops under the control of Lieutenant-Colonel Jana secured the city, but left the socialist leader Germán Castro to flee to the mountains in the direction of Argentina. He was later arrested after a brief skirmish.176

In southern Chile, General Manuel Torrez de la Cruz deployed the troops of the 5th Division along the Australis Plan.177 Temuco was secured by the Tucapel Regiment, while Valdivia was occupied by soldiers of the Cazadores and Maturana Regiments. The post of the Nelturne Carabineros in the Panguipulli Forest complex was surrounded by workers for most of the day, but their assault attempt the next morning, failed.178 In Puerto Montt, General Hernan Leight established himself in control of the city, while in Punta Arenas the military acted on its own, without involvement of the Carabineros. Correspondingly, General Torres de la Cruz deployed tanks and troops at some distance around their major base, to make sure that none of the Carabineros would try to defend the constitutional rule.

Within barely one hour, the whole of Chile was under the effective and overwhelming control of the military. The only place where any uncertainty remained was Santiago.179

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