Iyah Greetings Idren!
Iman want to share some informations about the 1960 Coup from the Book "The Mission"(a fantastic bio about HIM from a man who personally knew him).
I n I must start with HIMs Education Programs.
After abolishing the Feudal Order Ethiopia needed a new leading class, for this he took people from all social classes and didnīt choose them by birthright but only by their education, skills etc.
So he gave all children in the country the chance to attend school, and those who were very good at school, he gave further education.
He personally went on journeys through the country from school to school and looked for very talented youths. One of this was Gebeyehu Workineh who was from poor background. After passing the Harar Military School with great succes he rose in official postions higher and higher until he was the second most important man after HIM.
HIM and Workineh were a good team in leading and guiding Ethiopia, HIM represented the ancient and Workineh the new and poor and the voice of the people. Old and new must go hand in hand, only old leads to backwardness, and only new without strength from history etc leads to the Red Terror Mengistu disaster.
But after a while also Workineh didnīt see the necessity of the ancient for modernizing Ethiopia anymore, so he wanted to rid himself and his modernizing progress plans from the ancient, which was represented by Selassie I.
So Workineh united with an other powerful man, Mengistu Neway(not the one from 74), who was the head of the Imperial Bodyguard, the best trained and equipment armed force in Ethiopia, stationed in Addis to defend the capital and the government.
But in the Coup it became clear, that the Imperial Bodyguard was only loyal to itīs leader Mengistu.
Mengistu and Workineh wanted to be the new "dreamteam" on top of the state, Workineh would do the administration and Mengiistu would have the power through the Bodyguard... but they had to push Selassie I out of their way.
So Workineh organised a state vsit to Brazil for the Emperor, to get HIM far away while they take the country and force HIM into exile... it is easy when the head of state is away.
But that this state visit was just a trick was totally clear to HIM, Ethiopia had no political connactions to Brazyl and didnīt need or want any... and HIM never went on such visits without a clear reason. So why did he went away? To test his country, to see if they are loyal to him or if they join the rebels. And to see what the people do against it when HIM isnīt there.
On 13. Dec all important men in Addis were gathered in the palace under the pretext that the empress is seriously ill. Immediatly they were imprisoned and captured.
The plan was, the Bodyguard take the whole of Addis under their control and a new government is proclaimed.... very fast.
So bodyguard tanks rolled through the streets, bodyguard troops occupied all the strategic points, and the Crown Prince proclaimed the new government.
But there happened a mistake, the telephon communication was cut too late, so the Army was informed that something strange is going on... the people themselves hadnīt more informations about it to tell... they were totally perplexed.
By the way, one have to know, that the Ethiopian Armed Forces were divided into two parts, the special force of the Bodyguard in Addis and the Army scattered through the whole of Ethiopia which was poorly trained and equipment.
By that time the Bodyguard didnīt know for shure if the army would join them or be loyal to the Imperial Government and the Emperor.
The next day it became clear, when the first army troops started to fight against the rebels... Addis became a battlefield. Two days and nights the army was in a uninterrupted shoot out with the rebbels, many civilists became victims. After this the army freed all important places from the rebells, but before fleeing from the palace, Mengistu and his men shot many of the important men who were imprisoned by them. Workineh shot himself, Mengistu shot his brother and tried to kill himself.
When the army had re-taken the important places they didnīt fight the scattered rebels with great efforts... but now the people of Addis got informed and checked what was actually going on and now went on warpath agains the rebels themselves... they had no pardon for the rebels who destroyed the lifes of many in this few days...
After everything was over HIM returned at the airport.
His youngest son Sahle built a microphon in the palace and contacted the Ethiopian Ambassy in London which then contacted and informed the Emperor. When he returned by plain, itīs engine broke and they had to wait... I think he just wanted to see what his people do.
When he arrived it was clear, they didnīt want a revolution... but they wanted the best for the country, the Emperor!
The revolution had then to wait for 14 years for another Mengistu.
Bro Gad I
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