The Battle of Chile: Part 2: The Coup

The second film in a two-part documentary on the fate of Allende's Popular Unity government filmed throughout Chile from February to September 1973. Part two opens with the attempted military coup of June, 1973, which is put down by troops loyal to the government but everyone now realizes the final showdown is only a matter of time. The film shows a left divided over strategy, while the right methodically lays the groundwork for the military seizure of power. The film's dramatic concluding sequence documents the actual coup d'etat, including Allende's last radio messages to the people of Chile, footage of the military assault on the presidential palace, and that evening's televised presentation of the new military junta.