External Factors’ Influence on Course of the April 25, 1974 Revolution in Portugal

The article examines the Portuguese Revolution of 1974 from 1974 to 1976, focusing on the influence of external forces. The analysis extensively utilizes documentary materials published by the U.S. State Department during the period under consideration, as well as memoirs by Portuguese and foreign authors. The study explores the process of shaping the United States' new foreign policy towards Portugal after the revolution, comparing American and European approaches to the events in Portugal. The role of the USSR and other socialist countries is also examined. The research findings indicate that the revolution caught the American leadership off guard. Initially, the U.S. response was restrained, but their attitude changed after members of the Communist Party joined the government. The U.S. adopted a policy of exerting political and economic pressure on the Portuguese leadership to exclude communists from the government, supporting all opposition left-wing parties, and exploiting divisions within left-wing forces. The Soviet Union provided relatively modest support to Portuguese communists, while socialist bloc countries showed significantly greater involvement and enthusiasm. U.S. allies in Europe took more moderate positions. European diplomacy made significant efforts to avoid direct confrontation between the U.S. and the USSR, with the greatest challenge being to prevent the U.S. from demonstrating its power on the European continent. 

1. Birminghem, B. (2018). A concise history of Portugal. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 226 p. ISBN 9781107280212.

2. Buslaev, G. N., Reinhardt, R. O. (2022). Relations between USSR and FRG in 1955—1982: Energy Aspect. Nauchnyi dialog, 11 (6): 351—371. https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2022-11-6-351-371 (In Russ.).

3. Chilcote, R. H. (2010). The Portuguese revolution State and Class in transition to democracy. NY: Rowman & Ñittlefield Publishers. 316 p.

4. Freire, M. R. (2012). Ensaio bibliográfico estudos sobre política externa portuguesa após 2000. In: Relações Internacionais, № 28. Lisboa: IPRI UNL. 157—179.

5. Ivanova, E. V. (1988). Foreign policy concepts and foreign policy activities of the Portuguese Socialist Party. PhD Diss. Moscow. 219 p. (In Russ.).

6. Kaplanov, R. M. (1992). Portugal after the Second World War 1945—1974. Moscow: Nauka. 195 p. (In Russ.).

7. Khazanov, A. M. (2014). Portuguese colonial Empire 1415—1974. Moscow: Veche. 384 p. ISBN 978-5-4444-1062-2. (In Russ.).

8. Kuznetsov, V. A. (1976). Portugal: bayonet and roses. Moscow: Izvestia. 240 p. (In Russ.).

9. Maxwell, K. (2005). Os Estados Unidos e a descolonização portuguesa (1974—1976). In: Relações Internacionais. Lisboa: IPRI UNL. 5—37. (In Port.).

10. Medeiros Ferreira, J. (2004). O 25 de Abril no contexto internacional. In: Relaçoes Internacionais, № 2. Lisboa: IPRI UNL. 143—158.

11. Nemudrov, K. A., Reinhardt, R. O. (2023). Soviet-American Scientific and Technical Coop-eration in 1960s — Early 1970s: Science Diplomacy as a Factor of Détente. Nauchnyi dialog, 12 (3): 414—429. https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-3-414-429 (In Russ.).

12. Pisarets, I. G. (1986). Portugal in search of a new path. Moscow: International Relations. 150 p. (In Russ.).

13. Polyakov, A. K. (2021). Portugal. The Complete History of Portugal. Moscow: AST Publish-ing House. 480 p. ISBN 978-5-17-123410-2. (In Russ.).

14. Portugal: the era of change. (2014). Moscow: ILA RAS. 234 p. ISBN 978-5-201-05499-1. (In Russ.).

15. Portugal: the path from revolution... (2014). Moscow: The Whole World. 368 p. ISBN 978-5-7777-0585-3. (In Russ.).

16. Ramos, R., Sousa, B. V., N. G. Monteiro. (2009). Historia de Portugal. Lisboa: A esfera dos Livros. 974 p. (In Port.).

17. Reinhardt, R. O., Nemudrov, K. A. (2023). Lacy-Zarubin Agreement of 1958: Origins of Soviet-American Science Diplomacy. Nauchnyi dialog, 12 (1): 431—446. https://doi.org/10.24224/2227-1295-2023-12-1-431-446 (In Russ.).

18. Saraiva, J. E. (2007). The History of Portugal. Moscow: Publishing House “The Whole World”. 384 p. ISBN 5-7777-0360-6. (In Russ.).

19. Yakovleva, N. M. (2016). Portugal: the history of political modernization. Moscow: ILA RAS. 255 p. ISBN 978-5-9908156-1-2. (In Russ.).

20. Yastrzhembsky, S. V. (1989). Portugal the difficult years of national revival. Moscow: Znanie. 67 p. (In Russ.).

21. Zhebit, A. A. (1985). Portugal’s foreign policy and the development of Soviet-Portuguese rela-tions: 1974—1982. PhD Diss. Moscow. 278 p. (In Russ.).