Allende, a medical doctor, a marxist and a humanist, embarked immediately after his election on a program of social justice that was highlighted by nationalising the copper mines, ITT telephone company, private banks and other industries which have been in the hands of foreign owners. He promoted a land reform program, as well, which resulted in the re-allocation of private lands which have absentee landlords (and run by the working poor) and these were divided among the peasant farmers working the land.
There was a sense of elation and victory among Allende's supporters which included many students, intellectuals, artists and more particularly the large mass of the working poor. Santiago, the capital, became something of a magnet for Marxists followers who gravitated to Chile to participate in this experiment of social democracy and economic change in a context of sustainable human development.
Allende's support within Chile was hardly universal, landowners and business people, long the heart of the Chilean economy, felt only a sense of destruction and loss. Chile suffered a severe international blow when the Nixon administration angered by Allende's refusal to compensate the US owners of the copper mines he nationalised, he spoke out strongly against the Chilean Government and enacted an official US boycott of aid and credits to Chile.
Another president, of the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation, offered a million dollars to whoever can put an end to "this disgrace" while the US government earmarked ten million for the affair. Richard Nixon has also instructed the CIA to prevent Allende from sitting in the presidential chair; or, should he sit, to see that the chair didn't stay under him long.
Under orders from Nixon and Kissinger, a broad economic blockade was then launched in conjunction with US Multinationals (ITT, Kennecott, Anaconda) and banks (Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank). According to notes taken by CIA Director Richard Holmes at a 1970 meeting in the Oval Office, his orders were to "make the economy scream". Street demonstrations and various dirty tricks were played by the CIA over the next three years to increase pressure on the population and the economy.
On the morning of 11th September 1973 military units moved into Santiago and seized control of major communication facilities. Allende refused to resign and by midday, the military had taken control of key government buildings including "La Moneda", the seat of Chilean Government and the elected President Allende was shot dead in his presidential office.
The coup wasn't unexpected, although the brutality of the junta surprised many because of
Chile's long democratic tradition. The major media of US and the world ignored the issue of US
complicity until a year later when Michael J Harrington leaked details of secret Congressional
testimony by William Colby. In late 1975, a Senate Committee headed by Frank Church released
a report on "Covert Action in Chile, 1963 - 1973" which has provided much of the information
now known about the US involvement in Chile.
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