The
Carnation Revolution , also referred to as the
25 April , was initially a
military coup in
Lisbon,
Portugal, on 25 April 1974 which overthrew the regime of the
Estado Novo. The revolution started as a military coup organized by the
Armed Forces Movement composed of military officers who opposed the regime, but the movement was soon coupled with an unanticipated and popular campaign of
civil resistance. This movement would lead to the fall of the Estado Novo and the withdrawal of Portugal from its
African colonies and
East Timor.