Golpe Borghese

Quick Facts: Who was Golpe Borghese?

Subject:

Golpe Borghese

Known for:

A failed far-right Italian coup d'état allegedly planned for December 1970.

Died:

1974-08-??

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Golpe Borghese was a failed Italian coup d'état allegedly planned for the night of 7 or 8 December 1970. It was named after Junio Valerio Borghese, wartime commander of the Decima Flottiglia MAS and a hero in the eyes of many post-War Italian fascists. The coup attempt became publicly known when the left-wing journal Paese Sera ran the headline on the evening of 18 March 1971: "Subversive plan against the Republic: far-right plot discovered". The secret operation was code-named Operation Tora Tora after the Japanese code word for the attack on Pearl Harbor. The plan of the coup in its final phase envisaged the involvement of US and NATO warships which were on alert in the Mediterranean Sea.

Career & Major Achievements

Italian journalists have claimed the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) reportedly followed the coup, with President Richard Nixon allegedly being personally informed of it. However, in leaked documents, the US ambassador to Rome is quoted saying, "The last thing we need right now is a half-cooked coup d'état. We wouldn't support it." The botched right-wing coup took place after the Hot Autumn of left-wing protests in Italy and the Piazza Fontana bombing in December 1969, while in Reggio Calabria the Reggio revolt was supported by neofascists and ongoing. The failed coup involved hundreds of neo-fascist militants from Stefano Delle Chiaie's National Vanguard, and army dissidents under Lt. Colonel Amos Spiazzi, helped by 187 members of the Corpo Forestale dello Stato, who were to seize the headquarters of the Italian public television broadcaster RAI. The plan included the kidnapping of the Italian President Giuseppe Saragat; the murder of the head of the police Angelo Vicari; and the occupation of RAI, the Quirinale, the Ministry of the Interior (from which Vanguard militants would seize weapons), and the Ministry of Defense.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Spiazzi's Milan-based battalion also planned to occupy Sesto San Giovanni, at that time a workers' town and a stronghold of the Italian Communist Party. Apparently, some militants briefly entered the Ministry of the Interior, but Borghese suspended the coup a few hours before its final phase. A submachine gun (a Beretta Model 38) not returned by one of the militants was later viewed as a key piece of evidence in the sedition trial. According to Borghese, the neo-fascists were actually gathering for a protest demonstration against the upcoming visit of President Josip Broz Tito of Yugoslavia, which was later postponed. This protest was supposedly called off because of heavy rain.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1969: 1969 Milestone — " The botched right-wing coup took place after the Hot Autumn of left-wing protests in Italy and the Piazza Fontana bombing in December 1969, while in Reggio Calabria the Reggio revolt was supported by neofascists and ongoing.
2. 1970: 1970 Milestone — The Golpe Borghese was a failed Italian coup d'état allegedly planned for the night of 7 or 8 December 1970.
3. 1971: 1971 Milestone — The coup attempt became publicly known when the left-wing journal Paese Sera ran the headline on the evening of 18 March 1971: "Subversive plan against the Republic: far-right plot discovered".

Notable Quotes by Golpe Borghese

“The last thing we need right now is a half-cooked coup d'état. ... We wouldn't support it.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Golpe Borghese

True or False: “Did the Supreme Court of Cassation confirm that the evidence for the Golpe Borghese was definitively proven in court?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The Supreme Court confirmed the appeal judgment stating that 'the fact did not happen' (il fatto non sussiste).

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. H. M. Jones — Historical peer (Died in 1970) (1970): Pioneering British historian of classical antiquity, specializing in the later Roman Empire.
• Abraham Maslow — Historical peer (Died in 1970) (1970): Pioneering American psychologist known for the Hierarchy of Needs and self-actualization theory.
• Abd El-Razzak El-Sanhuri — Historical peer (Died in 1971) (1971): Pioneering Egyptian jurist, celebrated for authoring the revised Civil Code of 1948.
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• Adam Gilchrist — Historical peer (Born in 1969) (1969): Legendary Australian cricketer, redefining the wicket-keeper-batsman role with aggressive flair.
• Adam Riess — Historical peer (Born in 1969) (1969): Astrophysicist known for evidence of accelerating universe expansion via supernovae.

Frequently Asked Questions about Golpe Borghese