Coups D’Etat
On Saturday 12th March, members and guests once again gathered via their digital devices for three papers on the theme of coups d’état with lectures focusing on Richard III’s coup of 1483, Bonaparte and 18 Brumaire, and Mao’s seizure of power. The programme, ranging widely across time and space, provided further insights into topics many students had explored in school and generated many thoughtful questions and stimulating debate.
Michael Hicks, Professor Emeritus at the University of Winchester delivered the first lecture, examining Richard III’s seizure of power. Professor Hick’s work has been familiar to decades of sixth form students for his study of the value systems of the nobility of late medieval England. His lecture provided an overview of the Wars of the Roses before examining Richard, Duke of Gloucester’s successful coup. Richard had had a successful career, seemingly without aspirations for the crown before Edward IV’s premature death offered both unexpected opportunities and threats. Edward had made plans for the succession but these were doomed to failure: the power of kings ends with their deaths. Gloucester was designated Protector, to run the country during Edward V’s minority, whilst Earl Rivers was to act as guardian for the young king, plans which were thwarted by the ambitions of Dorset and Hastings.On Edward’s death, the Queen and Dorset seized power and sought to have the young Edward crowned forthwith. These decisions, taken shortly after Edward IV’s death, constituted a Woodville coup d’état. There were essentially three coups which took Gloucester to the throne. Having arrested Rivers and Grey at Stony Stratford, he then brought the new King to London and assumed the role of Lord Protector. Gloucester then proceeded to arrest Hastings, Stanley and the Archbishop of York, claiming they were plotting against the King, a step which constituted the second phase of his coup. Finally a sermon at York Minster set out Gloucester’s claim to the throne by declaring ‘Edward V’ to be illegitimate. Richard officially became King from 26 June 1483 and was crowned on 7 July; he had amassed power in his own hands and was notably careful to carry public opinion with him. However, Richard’s success created many enemies; he may have succeeded in seizing the throne but his ascendency was to be brief. Ultimately, why Richard usurped the throne – and when he first planned it – is still very much open to debate. However, rather than bringing order and reconciliation, he unleashed a third war that destroyed himself, his dynasty, and lasted for another generation.
In our second lecture, Marisa Linton, Professor Emerita of Kingston University, examined Napoleon’s coup on 18 Brumaire. The French Revolution made the rise to power of Napoleon Bonaparte possible, bringing down the centuries-old regime of absolute monarchy and privileged nobility. In its place, the revolutionaries founded a new regime, one which was based on principles of individual liberty, equal rights, and popular sovereignty as reflected in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. Yet the ensuing ten years of political instability would be exploited by Bonaparte to seize power in a militaristic regime which was, in some regards, more autocratic than that of Louis XVI and, in terms of the millions of casualties of the Napoleonic wars, much more lethal. Bonaparte was a talented tactician, adept in the use of propaganda, and he had military force behind him. He had political and financial backers – and he also had luck. Professor Linton explored how over 18 Brumaire (9 November 1799) and subsequent days, Bonaparte used all these resources to overthrow the representative government of the Directory. The lecture explored differing potential interpretation of his success. Could this be ascribed to his political and military skill or rather was he simply fortunate? Professor Linton explored Bonaparte’s potential rivals. Lazare Hoche was viewed as a supremely talented general by contemporaries before his death in 1797. Similarly, Thomas Alexandre-Dumas, was arguably a more impressive figure than Napoleon, however he was captured by royalist forces and imprisoned, an experience which destroyed his health. Whilst militarily talented, Napoleon was also fortunate in the demise of potential rivals. Nevertheless, he took advantage of the opportunities, notably campaigns in northern Italy and then in Egypt. Success further fuelled his enormous self-belief leading to Napoleon comparing himself to Alexander the Great. Thus, Napoleon’s skill as a propagandist was central in paving the way to power.
Our final talk was delivered by Professor Rana Mitter, Professor of the History and Politics of Modern China at St Cross College, Oxford. Professor Mitter examined the theme of Internationalism and ideology: the fall of the Nationalists and the Rise of Communist China, 1945-50. His lecture began with an assessment of China in 1945, exploring domestic and international steps to build security and influence. It was to prove a time of both revolutionary identity and renewal, one which marked a fundamental shift in terms of both the national and global order. Fundamentally, it was a period of transition for China rather than a literal coup. Chiang’s Sino-Soviet agreement in August 1945 sought to limit Soviet demands in Manchuria and China beyond. The concessions made to the Soviets, were, however, deemed worthwhile in the short term with the Soviets agreeing not support the CCP militarily. Thus initially, the chance of a CCP coup seemed remote. The Nationalists also aimed to extend their global influence through a new position at the United Nations and sought global influence in spite of worsening domestic conditions. However, attempts by General George Marshall to broker a peace and coalition government in 1946 broke up because of the increasing inability of the Nationalists under Chiang and the Communists under Mao to find common ground. Professor Mitter explored the course of the civil war 1946-9 through a series of case studies. The diaries of Yang Siyi and Liu Yanjin, both members of the PLA, have provided a fascinating source of evidence for engagement with revolutionary values, highlighting both ideological commitment but also the complexity of forging communist revolution. Initially, the superior KMT forces seemed set to destroy the CCP, however a series of factors led to their initial seeming advantages being dissipated. The morale of the KMT was undermined by worsening economic conditions, supply problems and corruption, whilst the CCP’s military tactics became more effective. Eventually Chiang fled to Taiwan, and the CCP conquered the mainland by 1949 with Hainan following the next year. Professor Mitter’s lecture concluded with an assessment of the impact of these events. China’s role in the UN today may be seen as a long-term legacy of the Nationalists as is China’s continued territorial claim to territory such as the Paracel islands.
The programme concluded with questions drawing out key issues arising from the case studies explored. This led to a lengthy and stimulating discussion from the panel as to the ingredients for a successful coup and whether such events can ever be deemed inevitable.
cambridgehistoryforum.org 