Allende vs. Pinochet

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Allende vs. Pinochet

• By Nadine Dobb and Brian Hunt

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Background

• Chile was the largest exporter of Copper, and the
  US had interest in that product.
• Allende was a socialist president in Chile.
• Allendes commander in chief of the Chilean army
  was Augusto Pinochet.
• The US CIA had worked to spread discontent and
  resistance against the Chilean government.
• On September 11th 1973, Pinochet lead a coup
  d'état which overthrew Allendes democratically
  elected socialist government.
• The US government did not send in Pinochet but
  after the coup d'état supported his new position
  of power by sending weapons. This support was not
  made public.

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Different Perspectives

• America The US did not support Allende because
  he provided a socialist government in Chile and
  the US government and CIA prompted Eduardo Frei
  the president before Allende to support a
  military coup.
• America supported Pinochet after the coup
  detat. Supplied them with weapons but did not
  support publicly. Unofficially endorsed by the
  Nixon administration and the CIA. Support of the
  coup d'état could not be proven.
• Soviets The Soviets had connections with
  Allende and the Soviets gave out false
  information about Pinochet after the coup in
  order to try to win back support for Allende.
  However, they didnt support Allende very much
  because they thought that he was weak because he
  refused to use force against the hostility during
  the coup.
• Chile There is political resistance in Chile
  during Pinochets time in power. He suppresses
  other political ideas and persecuted dissidents
  more than had ever been done before in Chile. The
  Chilean people did not support Pinochet because
  they were being suppressed. The military had a
  huge influence on politics in Chile. All leftist
  parties were banned. The people called it
  politicide or political genocide. Marxist
  guerilla fighters resisted the new government.

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How were the issues resolved?

• Pinochet was in power until 1990, meaning the
  Chilean people were suppressed politically for
  years.
• Issues were not exactly resolved, the situation
  was merely changed.
• Allendes socialist government was taken out of
  power, which for the US was a success.

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Evaluation

• Losers
• Soviets Allende refused to use force, so they
  were unable to back him. They lost a possible
  socialist ally.
• Chileans They lost their political freedom of
  thought. Many were killed by the military rule in
  resistance to them.

• Winner
• US because they kept the income of copper, and
  the socialist government was removed.

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THE END