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This Day in Alternate History Blog
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An Empire Reborn
Part 19
By
Vincent Longobardi
April 25th 1974
3:10 AM Local Time
The MFA moves to secure key sites throughout Lisbon including government buildings, radio stations and the airport.
4:20 AM
The MFA makes their first public broadcast to the people of Portugal.
MFA takes control of the Lisbon air force.
4:25 AM
The Portugese government petitions NATO for help in putting down the uprising.
5:45 AM
With no response from NATO forthcoming, the Portugese government requests assistance from Rome. Government officials seek refuge at the embassy.
6:10 AM
The reply from Rome comes: “Stand fast. Assistance is on its way.”
In Spain a regiment of Italian paratroopers are put on alert and Italian bombers stationed in the nation are prepped for operations against Portugal.
6:25 AM
A mob of soldiers and civilians converge on the Italian embassy demanding the hand over of the Portugese government officials. In the absence of the Ambassador who was visiting family in Rome when the crisis erupted Deputy Ambassador Franco Freda(a disciple of Evola) assumes command of the situation. He orders that the detachment of soldiers assigned to the embassy prepare defensive positions and set up machine gun nests.
6:40 AM
With a loudspeaker Freda stands in the courtyard of the Embassy and orders the angry mob to disperse within 5 minutes or he will order his men to open fire on the crowd. Pelted with rocks and garbage he stands his ground and repeats his message to the crowd counting down the time.
6:45 AM
The Deputy Ambassador gives the order to fire and seconds later machine gun rounds rake the crowd sending the mob into a rout. A brave and determined group attempt to rush the gates but are brought down by concentrated fire from the Embassy.
7:30 AM
Viceroy Gritti leaves Athens and heads for Rome to serve as the overall commander for operations in Portugal as per orders from the Consul.
9:00 AM
Italian strike aircraft pound MFA artillery positions outside of Lisbon.
Spain puts their border units on alert.
10:15 AM
MFA soldiers set up a perimeter around the Italian embassy disabling power and waterlines leading into the compound forcing the embassy to rely on generator power. Freda reports to Rome that they need to be relieved before the situation becomes critical.
The government of Angola declares they remain loyal to the government of Lisbon.
11: 45 AM
MFA informs the people that they are firmly in control of the nation. The situation for the loyalists continues to break down as more and more units rally to the MFA banner.
1:30 PM
Italian bombers knock out radio transmitters throughout Lisbon to put an end to the MFA announcements.
2:30 PM
The Grand Council approves of the Consul’s plan to invade Portugal and restore order.
6:45 PM
Using a series of portable transmitters the MFA declares that the are now the official government of Portugal.
9:00 PM
Italian paratroopers land in the Lisbon Airport wrestling control away from the MFA. The takeover paves the wave for Italian heavy equipment to be flown in from Spain.
April 26th 1974
In the early morning an armed convoy rushes out from the airport towards the Italian Embassy. Protected by helicopter gunships and close air support the convoy battles its way through the streets and smashes the barricades erected around the embassy. Rescuing the staff, soldiers and Portugese government officials present the 16th century villa is put to the flame to destroy the intelligence files contained within. Consul Medici calls Franco Freda a “Hero of Fascism” for his brave stand against the Marxists.
By midday it quickly becomes apparent that the Portugese government has lost the will and the ability to rule and it will fall on the Lira Block to restore order. Medici consults with Franco and offers him sovereignty over Portugal in exchange for a Spanish invasion. Meanwhile, Viceroy Gritti orders that Lisbon be taken at all costs.
Mercury bombers carpet bomb large sections of Lisbon ahead of advancing Italian forces. The army advances slowly and methodically into the city as they know they are fighting an army with many of its officers trained by Italian advisors and skilled in guerilla warfare.
April 27th 1974
Spanish troops cross the border into Portugal engaging with troops loyal to the MFA government.
The MFA government requests immediate intervention from NATO. Both Britain and France recognize the new Portugese government and second the call for an emergency meeting of NATO. Both nations pledge to intervene militarily in the conflict.
Italian forces battle their way slowly through Lisbon liberating pockets of fascist resistance.
President Nixon speaks with Consul Medici requesting that the NRE stands down in the invasion of Portugal to prevent a war with NATO.
April 28th 1974
Medici announces that the NRE will leave Portugal and let the foolish MFA government lead the nation into ruin so that the people understand the need for a strong fascist state. Franco releases a similar statement several hours later.
Much of Lisbon(especially the government district) is left in ruins as the result of heavy bombardment.
April 29th 1974
The new Portugese government announces the independence of all African mainland colonies except for Angola which will be held in trust by Portugal to prevent a Lira Block takeover of colony.
April 30th 1974
The last Italian soldiers and former Portugese government officials leave the Lisbon airport. The airport is left in a vandalized state with many critical systems damage, destroyed or missing. Graffiti of “We will return” is featured prominently.
May 1st 1974
France, Great Britain and West Germany all call the “defeat” of Italian forces in Portugal the first step in the final eradication of fascism. The Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact offers similar sentiments.
France once again calls for the handover the two Frenchmen implicated in the April 1st terrorist attacks. West Germany offers to take the terrorists and trial them as a neutral party.
Philip Henri, the sixth plotter and only one not to be captured within the NRE enjoys celebrity status within France giving numerous interviews and supposedly offered both book and movie deals. He is officially charged with illegal border crossing but no one expects him to be convicted.
May 5th 1974
Field Marshal Guillet is made an honorary Field Marshall in the Burmese army and hired by that state to modernize their armed forces.
May 9th 1974
Congress starts impeachment proceedings against President Nixon.
May 15th 1974
Philip Henri is put on trial for illegally crossing the Italian border. The prosecution offers no evidence to support the charge and judge allows Henri to speak before a packed court for over three hours on the threat of Italian Fascism. The case is ultimately dismissed.
May 16th 1974
Luxembourg joins the Continental Union.
May 20th 1974
Sweden, Norway and Denmark come together in the economic union of the Nordic Union.
The small Imperial Union Party(which has no representation in any government) calls this an important first step in securing the formation of a Nordic Empire and the liberation of Finland from communism.
May 25th 1974
The trial of the surviving conspirators of the April 1st plot begins. In addition to the weapons, vandalism and illegal border crossing charges they are also charged with crimes against Fascism, against the image of Il Duce and for conspiracy to incite an uprising. They are all eligible for the death penalty and it is expected they will receive it.
June 15th 1974
British Fascists and anti-fascists clash at a protest in London.
June 27th 1974
President Nixon arrives in Europe for a tour of several countries including France, Germany, the UK, and the NRE
July 1st 1974
Juan Peron of Argentina dies. He is succeeded by his wife Isabel Peron. Consul Medici will attend the funeral in Buenos Aires.
July 5th 1974
The remaining Shrines of Fascism are reopened to the public.
July 10th 1974
President Nixon arrives in Rome, his last stop in his European tour. He meets with Medici who addresses Nixon as “my good friend.” They speak on numerous topics including the situation in Southeast Asia and Nixon also urges Medici to handle the April 1st incident diplomatically. It is rumored he asks Medici on advice on how to handle his own Watergate scandal.
France protests the meeting of the two leaders amidst the current political climate resulting from both the April 1st attacks and the Portugese revolution.
July 13th 1974
With a large Imperial sendoff Nixon departs Rome.
Medici remarks privately to Evola “It’s a shame. This is probably the last time we will see Richard. He is a true friend and ally but I do not think he will survive this.”
July 17th 1974
The first Italian advisors arrive in South Vietnam to prepare the Vietnamese for an “Italian style” war.
Newly promoted Major Medici, a certified anti-partisan expert will be one of the advisors in the second wave expected to be deployed sometime in August or September.
July 18th 1974
Against the wishes of his father Major Medici announces his engagement to Antonietta Mazzei. The 19 year old model is largely considered to be beneath the status of the wealthy and extremely political Medici family especially compared to the Major’s two sisters who both married educated men. They are expected to be married before the Major’s deployment to Southeast Asia.
*Note: Consul Medici’s eldest daughter Maria is married to a renowned but largely apolitical doctor.*
July 22nd 1974
The three captured conspirators as well as Philip Henri(tried in absentia) are found guilty of all charges against them. The kangaroo court sentences them all to death by hanging.
July 23rd 1974
The French government calls for the UN to impose sanctions on the NRE for their violation of human rights of the French citizens but the motion is vetoed by the United States.
July 25th 1974
France and West Germany begin a push for the removal of all American troops from Germany in response to the American veto on sanctions.
August 3rd 1974
Gontran Desmarais and his two fellow conspirators are hung until they are dead in the Piazza Venezia. The short ropes assure they have slow and agonizing deaths.
August 9th 1974
President Nixon resigns as President of the United States. Vice President Gerald Ford replaces him
August 10th 1974
In a press release Consul Medici wishes President Nixon the best, declaring him a true personal friend and a true friend of the New Roman Empire and of Fascism. He hopes to continue this relationship of trust and mutual understanding with the newly sworn in President Ford.
France once again pushes for sanctions to be levied against the Italian Empire.
End of Part 19.
Please visit my forum for discussion and access to new parts as they become available. http://z11.invisionfree.com/LongVinsWritingDen/index.php?
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