Concerning the independence of the Portuguese territories in Africa, I wrote a book “From Goa to Goa”, 2020, which focuses a little on the decolonisation of Mozambique and resettlement in Portugal. This is however, from a personal perspective. Carolina Costa Sent from my iPhone
> On 2 May 2023, at 18:54, Edgar Valles <diasval...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > In fact, as all of us are aware that there is a big difference between what > happened in Goa in December 1961 and what happened in the other former > Portuguese colonies (Africa and East Timor), which became independent... > Bandung Conference in Jakarta (1953) approved the principle that the colonial > people should have the right of self determination, with respect to the > borders defined by the colonial powers, however artificial they might be... > Of course, the invasion of Goa (as it was defined by the Supreme Court of > India) was a strong blow to the Portuguese colonial Empire. > EdgarValles > > > > Nuno Cardoso da Silva <nunocardososi...@gmx.com> escreveu no dia quarta, > 26/04/2023 à(s) 12:55: >> The war in Africa lasted 13 years or, approximately, 4,750 days. Three >> soldiers killed per day would make 14,250 soldiers dead. In fact we had >> about 9,000 dead over the 13 years. When talking about delicate issues such >> as this one, one better be exact. Being 58% wrong seems to me a bit too >> much, and may lead us to doubt the correcteness of whatever else was said by >> Pedro Mascarenhas. >> >> Sincerely >> >> Nuno Cardoso da Silva >> (also a former second lieutenant in Angola, from 1966 to 1968, with a very >> different war experience, in the field and not on HQ) >> >> >> Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2023 at 12:13 PM >> From: "PEDRO MASCARENHAS" <pedro.p...@gmail.com> >> To: goa-research-net@googlegroups.com >> Subject: Re: [GRN] April 25, 1974: It all started in India (Goa) and ended >> in Lisbon >> I completed compulsory military service as a second lieutenant and dealt >> with the internal situation in the barracks for 3 years. I became aware of >> the complaints about the situation. >> My article focuses solely and exclusively on the military fighting on the >> battlefield, in the jungle. What the soldiers felt in the face of daily >> difficulties, deaths, injuries, poor food, etc., their dissatisfactions and >> fears. >> While the pro-Salazar politicians and generals in the cities lived very well >> and felt comfortable. >> 1 - The soldiers without ideal conditions in Goa were humiliated with an >> expected defeat (19/12/1961) . Here begins the hatred of the military >> against the fascist regime. >> 2 - Then follows a long and hard guerrilla war in Africa, where at least 3 >> soldiers died every day. It was an unequal and endless struggle. Here hatred >> grows even more against the regime. >> 3 - Othelo's revolt has nothing to do with its origin. He never referenced >> his Indian origin. The Portuguese are not obsessed with ancestors, whether >> Chinese, African or Indian. >> ---------------------------------------------------------------- >> Cumpri o serviço militar compulsorio como segundo tenente e lidei durante 3 >> anos com a situação interna nos quarteis. Tomei conhecimento das queixas da >> situação. >> O meu artigo foca unica e exclusivamente nos militares lutando no campo de >> batalha, na selva. Aquilo que os soldados sentiam perante as dificuldades >> diárias, as mortes, os feridos, má alimentação, etc., da suas insatisfações >> e receios. >> Enquanto os políticos e generais pro-Salazar nas cidades viviam muito bem e >> se sentiam confortaveis. >> 1 - Os militares sem condições ideias em Goa foram humilhados com uma >> derrota esperada (19/12/1961) . Começa aqui o ódio dos militares contra o >> regime fascista. >> 2 - Segue-se depois uma longa e dura guerra de gurrilha em África, onde >> morriam, por dia pelo menos 3 soldados. Era uma luta desigual e sem fim. >> Aqui o ódio aumenta ainda mais contra o regime. >> 3 - A revolta do Otelo não tem nada a ver com a sua origem. Ele nunca >> referenciou a sua origem indiana. Os portugueses não estão obsecados com os >> antepassados, se chinês, africano ou indiano. >> Pedro Mascarenhas >> >> Frederick Noronha <fredericknoron...@gmail.com> escreveu no dia terça, >> 25/04/2023 à(s) 22:41: >>> Just three questions here: >>> >>> (1) Since the war for independence/Portuguese colonial war in Africa began >>> in February 1961, what does this imply as far as the timeline? Also, the >>> following reminiscences suggest that Africa was also pushing India on this >>> score: >>> >>> QUOTE In October 1961, Nehru, through the Indian Council for Africa, >>> summoned in New Delhi a Seminar on the Problems of the Portuguese Colonies. >>> When it ended, in Bombay, a big demonstration took place. Marcelino dos >>> Santos remembers: >>> While summoning that great meeting of all the movements of national >>> liberation of the Portuguese colonies, we thought that Nehru was against >>> us. I do not know whether he invited Timor, in any case Timor did not turn >>> up. >>> We had everything well structured, we had studied all the questions and >>> answers, I was going as the leader. >>> Nehru asked us: “What do you want me to do for you?” >>> And I answered as planned: “We want you to do that which you should do for >>> yourself. Liberate Goa”. >>> Nehru had the fame of being Gandhian. But we were always highly respectful >>> and delicate with him. We were happy to have been invited. We were proud of >>> our daring and our art. UNQUOTE --Battles Won, Lasting Dreams: Aquino de >>> Bragança: The Man and His Times. (Goa,1556: 2011) >>> >>> (2) What was the impact of the Cold War of those times on this issue, and >>> how it shaped up? I agree, this is a long and complex issue to discuss in a >>> email, but can we afford to overlook that? >>> >>> (3) Lastly, what were the Goan connections or roots if any of Otelo Saraiva >>> de Carvalho? There are references in remote corners of cyberspace regarding >>> this, but hardly anyone seems to be mentioning it. >>> >>> Thanks in advance, FN >>> >>>> On Tue, 25 Apr 2023 at 15:31, 'Pedro Mascarenhas' via Goa-Research-Net >>>> <goa-research-net@googlegroups.com> wrote: >>>> ......in English and Portuguese >>>> April 25, 1974: It all started in India - Goa and ended in Lisbon >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> To whom to attribute the paternity of the 25th of April in Portugal? >>>> >>>> The roots of the "coup d'etat"! Was it a "spontaneous manifestation or >>>> triggered by someone? Regarding the military revolution that took place in >>>> Portugal on April 25, 1974, 49 years ago, some historians and political >>>> commentators believe that the idea began to germinate on December 19, 1961 >>>> in Goa, India, when the Portuguese military forces surrendered, generating >>>> deep discomfort among officers of all branches. It was the cause and the >>>> first stone of the colonial domino to fall. The other four would fall >>>> later : Mozambique, Angola, Guinea-Bissau and Portugal. >>>> >>>> The subterfuges that the dictatorial regime performed in the so-called >>>> estado da India portuguesa harmed the military, that is, the reduction of >>>> personnel; the quality of armament and obsolete; Salazar's express orders >>>> not to surrender by imposing a useless sacrifice on them; the delay in >>>> repatriating them after detention; the humiliating way in which the >>>> soldiers were received at Cais da Rocha Conde de Óbidos in Lisbon, under >>>> the threat of weapons, as if the humiliation of defeat were not enough; >>>> the disembarkation of General Vassalo e Silva (the governor-general who >>>> opted for the white flag of unconditional surrender) at Lisbon airport on >>>> May 16, 1962, in a terminal with the lights off; the stubbornness in not >>>> dialoguing with Indian politicians to save face; all these mistakes ruined >>>> the prestige of the military. >>>> >>>> The most lucid officers who passed through the Military Academy became >>>> aware that they were treated like objects, like chess pieces manipulated >>>> by a single player called Salazar, although sometimes, certain ministers, >>>> such as Adriano Moreira (colonies) or Franco Nogueira (foreign affairs) >>>> were allowed to execute one or another random move. >>>> >>>> Then followed the second cause (and this time fatal), that is, the war in >>>> Africa, which lasted 14 years (1961/75) and was very exhausting. While >>>> Washington was facing a Vietnam, Lisbon's cross-eyed vision was focused, >>>> simultaneously, on three Vietnams. >>>> >>>> The strategy in general and the tactics in the details, in the dense >>>> mantle of the tropical forest, outlined by the African liberation >>>> movements and mainly by FRELIMO (Mozambique) and PAIGC (Guinea and Cape >>>> Verde) were precise, surgical, overwhelming, cunning, forcing the >>>> Portuguese troops to unfold in complex, strenuous, unproductive, >>>> treacherous and relentless work. The willful African guerrilla was in his >>>> land, in his element, he knew where he was and what he was doing, despite >>>> heavy casualties, especially among the native civilian population, for >>>> lack of heavy war material on their part. The compulsive Portuguese >>>> sweated in the torrid heat, burned with high fevers in the mosquito >>>> jungle, vomited on the rugged savannahs, was greatly affected by >>>> psychological distress, and was highly unmotivated. And above all, he shed >>>> blood. Far from his homeland, in that colony of chicken cafreal or >>>> piri-piri, at mealtimes in the barracks canteen in front of “once more >>>> beans with beans”, he dreamed of cod fish and Portuguese stew. What was he >>>> defending, …colonies in the 20th century? All this and much more led him >>>> to utter frustration and dissatisfaction. >>>> >>>> It was estimated at 8,000 deaths, but Pedro Marquês de Sousa, lieutenant >>>> colonel of the Army, the investigator and also a professor at the Military >>>> Academy, after intense research, he reached much heavier numbers: almost >>>> 10,500 soldiers died and more than 30,000 were injured. This information >>>> is compiled in the book "The Numbers of the African War" >>>> >>>> In summary: The defeat in India, the great unstoppable tide of African >>>> guerrilla warfare, the anti-colonialist storms in international forums, >>>> the attack by white extremists on the officers' mess in the city of Beira >>>> (Mozambique), the first outbreaks in the barracks in Lisbon, the >>>> proclamation of the independence of Guinea-Bissau in Madina de Boé in >>>> 1973, and, finally, the publication of “Portugal e o Futuro”, the book by >>>> general Spínola, were the factors, among others, that catapulted the >>>> troops to the “now or never”. For an impartial observer, those who fought >>>> a lot during 14 years against the Salazar dictatorship were the African >>>> nationalists and the captains of Abril only appeared in the final phase >>>> taking advantage of the efforts of others. Didn't Salazar claim that >>>> Portugal of all colors went from Minho to Timor? Well, the «black >>>> Portuguese» revolted in 1961 and fought until 1974. And in that last year, >>>> the «white Portuguese» appeared in the capital of the empire with the >>>> chaimite ( armored vehicle) and the rest is history. >>>> >>>> If the oppressed had remained with their arms crossed in a peaceful >>>> attitude, apathetic, mute as stones, if it weren't for the colonial war, >>>> Portugal (dictatorship) the "last domino stone" would not have fallen. >>>> Samora Machel, the guerrilla fighter and the first President of the >>>> People's Republic of Mozambique, said at a rally in central Mozambique: - >>>> “We never fought against the Portuguese people, our fight was against >>>> Portuguese colonialism. Comrades! We, also, freed the people of Portugal.” >>>> The African guerrilla is the father of democracy in Portugal. The movement >>>> of the Portuguese captains, the stepfather. >>>> >>>> The imaginary Velho do Restelo was absolutely right who, at the moment of >>>> Vasco da Gama's fleet leaving the Tagus, reproached the commander, asking >>>> him “What new disasters do you determine / Taking these kingdoms and these >>>> people / What dangers, what deaths do you intend for them” (Camões *). In >>>> fact, the Portuguese would be stripping their own house, and chasing a >>>> chimera in the distance. >>>> >>>> Pedro Mascarenhas >>>> >>>> 25/04/2023 >>>> >>>> * Luis de Camões, Portugal’s great national poet, author of the epic poem >>>> Os Lusíadas (1572), which describes Vasco da Gama discovery of the sea >>>> route to India. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> the chaimite ( armored vehicle) in Lisbon >>>> >>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> Portuguese: >>>> A quem atribuir a paternidade do 25 de abril em Portugal? >>>> >>>> As raízes do "coup d'etat"! Foi uma sublevação espontânea ou um ato >>>> forçado por alguém? A propósito do golpe de estado militar ocorrido em >>>> Portugal no dia 25 de abril de 1974, e que agora completa 49 anos, alguns >>>> historiadores e comentadores políticos creem que a ideia começou a ser >>>> germinado no dia 19 de dezembro de 1961 na Índia, quando as forças >>>> militares portuguesas se renderam gerando um profundo mal-estar entre os >>>> oficiais de todos os ramos. Foi a primeira pedra do dominó colonial a >>>> tombar e a primeira longínqua causa do golpe. As outras quatro cairiam >>>> mais tarde: Moçambique, Angola, Guiné-Bissau e Portugal. >>>> >>>> Os subterfúgios que o regime ditatorial utilizou no pomposamente chamado >>>> “estado da Índia portuguesa” prejudicaram a reputação dos militares, ou >>>> seja, a redução dos efetivos; a qualidade de armamento, já em si obsoleto; >>>> as ordens expressas de Salazar para não se renderem, impondo-lhes um >>>> sacrifício inútil ; a demora em repatriá-los após a detenção; o modo >>>> humilhante como os soldados foram recebidos no Cais da Rocha Conde de >>>> Óbidos em Lisboa, sob a ameaça das armas, como se não bastasse a >>>> humilhação da derrota; o desembarque do general Vassalo e Silva ( o >>>> governador-geral que optou pela bandeira branca da rendição incondicional >>>> ) no aeroporto de Lisboa no dia 16 de Maio de 1962, num terminal com as >>>> luzes apagadas; a teimosia em não dialogar com os políticos indianos para >>>> salvar as aparências; todos estes equívocos arruinaram o prestígio dos >>>> militares. >>>> >>>> Os oficiais mais lúcidos que passaram pela Academia Militar tomaram >>>> consciência de que foram tratados como objetos, como peças de xadrez >>>> manipulados por um único jogador chamado Salazar, embora por vezes, a >>>> certos ministros, como Adriano Moreira (colónias) ou Franco Nogueira >>>> (negócios estrangeiros) fosse permitido executar um ou outro lance >>>> fortuito. >>>> >>>> Seguiu-se depois a segunda causa (e, desta vez fatal), isto é, a guerra em >>>> África, longa de 14 anos (1961/75) e muito desgastante. Enquanto >>>> Washington enfrentava um Vietname, os olhos vesgos de Lisboa recaíam, >>>> simultaneamente, sobre três Vietnames. >>>> >>>> A estratégia em geral e as táticas nos pormenores, no denso manto da >>>> floresta tropical, delineadas pelos movimentos de libertação e >>>> principalmente pela FRELIMO (Moçambique) e PAIGC (Guiné e Cabo Verde) >>>> foram precisas, cirúrgicas, avassaladoras, ardilosas, obrigando as tropas >>>> portuguesas a desdobrarem-se em trabalhos complexos, extenuantes, >>>> improdutivos, traiçoeiros e sem tréguas. O guerrilheiro africano >>>> voluntarioso estava na sua terra, no seu elemento, sabia onde estava e o >>>> que fazia, trazia consigo a força da raiva contra o racismo, a injustiça e >>>> a exploração. Era considerado de raça inferior pelo colono. É verdade que >>>> sofreu grandes baixas, sobretudo entre a população civil nativa, por falta >>>> de material bélico pesado da sua parte. Por seu lado, o português fardado >>>> e compulsivo suava no calor tórrido, ardia de febres altas na selva dos >>>> mosquitos, vomitava nas savanas acidentadas, martirizava-se afetado pelo >>>> sofrimento psicológico e estava altamente desmotivado. E, sobretudo, >>>> derramava sangue em território alheio. Longe da sua terra, naquela colónia >>>> do frango à cafreal ou piri-piri, à hora das refeições na cantina do >>>> quartel perante o “mais uma vez o feijão com feijão”, sonhava com o >>>> bacalhau e o cozido à portuguesa. Os ouvidos à noite sem luar captavam >>>> longínquas batucadas assustadoras ao mesmo tempo que almejava o rock do >>>> Elvis Presley, os viras do Minho e fados ainda que tristes. >>>> >>>> Estava a defender o quê, …colónias, em pleno século XX? Tudo isso e muito >>>> mais levou-o à frustração e insatisfação total. >>>> >>>> Estimava-se em 8.000 mortes, mas Pedro Marquês de Sousa, tenente-coronel >>>> do Exército, o investigador e também professor na Academia Militar depois >>>> de muito trabalho de pesquisa chegou a números bem mais pesados: morreram >>>> quase 10.500 militares e ficaram feridos mais de 30.000. Essas informações >>>> estão compiladas no livro "Os Números da Guerra de África” >>>> >>>> Em resumo: A derrota na Índia, a grande maré imparável da guerrilha >>>> africana, as tempestades anticolonialistas nos fóruns internacionais, o >>>> ataque dos brancos extremistas à messe dos oficiais na cidade da Beira >>>> (Moçambique), os primeiros rebentamentos nos quartéis na dita metrópole, a >>>> proclamação da independência da Guiné em Madina de Boé em 1973, e, >>>> finalmente, a publicação de Portugal e o Futuro, o livro de Spínola, foram >>>> os fatores que, entre outros, catapultaram a tropa para o “agora ou >>>> nunca”. Para um observador imparcial quem mais lutou durante 14 anos >>>> contra a ditadura salazarista foram os nacionalistas africanos e os >>>> capitães do abril só apareceram na fase final tirando proveito do esforço >>>> alheio. Não afirmava Salazar que Portugal de todas as cores ia do Minho a >>>> Timor? Pois bem, os «portugueses morenos» revoltaram-se em 1961 e lutaram >>>> até 1974. E nesse último ano, os «portugueses claros» mostraram-se na >>>> capital do império com os blindados chaimite e o resto é história. >>>> >>>> Se os oprimidos tivessem ficado de braços cruzados em atitude pacífica, >>>> apáticos, mudos como as pedras, se não fosse a guerra colonial, Portugal >>>> (ditadura) a "última pedra de dominó " não teria caído. Samora Machel, o >>>> guerrilheiro, que viria a ser o primeiro Presidente da República Popular >>>> de Moçambique num comício no centro de Moçambique disse: - “Nunca lutamos >>>> contra o povo português, a nossa luta foi contra o colonialismo português. >>>> Camaradas! Nós, também, libertamos o povo de Portugal.” >>>> >>>> A guerrilha africana, é o pai da democracia em Portugal. O movimento dos >>>> capitães portugueses, o padrasto. >>>> >>>> Tinha toda a razão o imaginário Velho do Restelo que no momento da partida >>>> do Tejo da armada de Vasco da Gama censurou o comandante, perguntando-lhe >>>> “A que novos desastres determinas /De levar estes reinos e esta gente / >>>> Que perigos, que mortes lhe destinas” (Camões). Na verdade, os >>>> portugueses, estariam a desguarnecer a sua própria casa, perseguindo, lá >>>> longe, uma quimera. >>>> Pedro Mascarenhas >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "Goa-Research-Net" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>> email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To view this discussion on the web, visit >>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/1633277108.166670.1682416901071%40mail.yahoo.com. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "Goa-Research-Net" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> To view this discussion on the web, visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAMCR53L_uUQRB6sNmVepJUXmpk%2BYUtvUPYv9c5AejaHqnEN1bg%40mail.gmail.com. >> >> >> -- >> Pedro Mascarenhas >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Goa-Research-Net" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAKgQwHAUwVcnRgrw8v2YAa0Y--Sa%2BXna-XXvTRwZNTqvh0WFbg%40mail.gmail.com. >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Goa-Research-Net" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To view this discussion on the web, visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/trinity-3130939a-4a6f-497d-bc3d-e3db71d3f621-1682510105137%403c-app-mailcom-bs08. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Goa-Research-Net" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to goa-research-net+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To view this discussion on the web, visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/goa-research-net/CAEXcPups7qgUg8q_zj3HuDy721U0Vij7ank8n1u4LYaP5Xtw7g%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Goa-Research-Net" group. 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