1971 Ugandan coup d'état

1971 Ugandan coup d'état
Part of the Cold War
Date 25 January 1971 Location  Uganda Result Overthrow of Milton Obote Establishment of regime of Idi Amin
Belligerents
Ugandan Government	Ugandan Military Supported by:  United Kingdom  Israel
Commanders and leaders
Milton Obote	Idi Amin

The 1971 Ugandan coup d'état was a military coup d'état executed by the Ugandan military, led by general Idi Amin, against the government of President Milton Obote on January 25, 1971. The seizure of power took place while Obote was abroad attending the Commonwealth Heads of State conference in Singapore.^[1] Amin was afraid that Obote might dismiss him.

The 1971 coup is often cited as an example of "class action by the military", wherein the Ugandan armed forces acted against "an increasingly socialist régime whose equalitarian domestic politics posed more and more of a threat to the military's economic privileges".^[2]

Amin was largely supported by the British before and after the coup because the previous President, Milton Obote, was attempting to nationalise UK businesses.

Portrayal in Media

• In the film Last King of Scotland, the coup is portrayed as popular, with Amin as being "for the people". The coup is supported by the British. Opponents of Amin are described as being "Obote's men"

See also

• Uganda under Idi Amin

References