With the death of Pope Francis, the world loses not only a church leader but also a moral compass
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After the revolution: the new Portugal takes shape
Covering the revolt for East German television 50 years ago, JOHN GREEN witnessed first-hand how the revolution blossomed and withered, as anti-worker and reformist forces aligned to keep the Communist Party from power
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THE whole revolution had to be planned in such secrecy that only a few officers knew about it and no-one could be certain how far other regiments would support them.
It is amazing how small groups of soldiers, like these with their obsolete vehicles, were nevertheless able to frighten and scatter the dictatorship’s demoralised forces.
“We had strict instructions not to open fire unless absolutely necessary,” a major tells us. “We wanted to avoid the spilling of blood at all costs, so we spoke to the non-committed troops trying to win them over to our side. This we managed to do. Only one or two top-ranking officers refused to join us, and they were arrested.” It was a totally bloodless revolution.
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