Bangladesh: Anatomy of an Unsuccessful Military Coup

Abstract

It is contended that knowledge of unsuccessful coups can be valuable in understanding successful coups. After discussing sociopolitical factors underlying coup initiatives in the Third World, a short-lived coup in Bangladesh that began 3 Nov 1975 is analyzed. A distinction is drawn between legality & legitimacy, suggesting that although all coups are illegal, they vary in the degree of legitimacy, & the question of legitimacy is crucial to a coup's success. The failure of the 3 Nov coup can be largely attributed to the failure of advancing legitimacy claims by the coup leaders - with fatal consequences. Modified HA.