1969 Libyan coup d'état

The 1969 Libyan coup d'état, also

1969 Libyan coup d'état
known as the al-Fateh Revolution or
the 1 September Revolution, was Part of the Arab Cold War
carried out by the Free Unionist Officers
Movement, a group of military officers
led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi,
which led to the overthrow of King Idris
I.

Contents
Background
Coup
Post-coup events
See also
References
Gaddafi at an Arab summit in Libya, shortly after the
September Revolution that toppled King Idris. Gaddafi sits in
Background military uniform in the middle, surrounded by Egyptian
President Gamal Abdel Nasser (left) and Syrian President
The discovery of significant oil reserves
Nureddin al-Atassi (right)
in 1959 and the subsequent income from
petroleum sales enabled the Kingdom of Date 1 September 1969
Libya to transition from one of the Location Libya
world's poorest nations to a wealthy
Result Free Officers victory
state. Although oil drastically improved
the Libyan government's finances, Overthrow and abolition of the Monarchy
resentment began to build over the
Establishment of Libyan Arab Republic
increased concentration of the nation's
wealth in the hands of King Idris. This Start of Muammar Gaddafi's rule
discontent mounted with the rise of
Belligerents
Nasserism and Arab
nationalism/socialism throughout the Free Officers Movement
Arab world. Kingdom of Libya

Cyrenaican Defence
Coup Force (CYDEF)
Commanders and leaders
On 1 September 1969, a group of about
70 young army officers known as the Idris I
Muammar Gaddafi

Free Unionist Officers Movement and Abdel Aziz El Shalhi

Abdessalam Jalloud

enlisted men mostly assigned to the Hasan as-Senussi Umar Muhayshi

Signal Corps gained control of the Abu-Bakr Yunis Jabr

government and abolished the Libyan Abdullah Senussi

monarchy. The coup was launched at Abdel Fatah Younis

Benghazi; and, within two hours, it was Khalifa Haftar

completed. Army units quickly rallied in
Strength
support of the coup and, within a few
days, military control was established in Unknown 70
Tripoli and elsewhere throughout the Casualties and losses
country. Popular reception of the coup,
especially by younger people in the CYDEF: 1[1]killed, 15
0
urban areas, was enthusiastic. Fears of wounded
resistance in Cyrenaica and Fezzan
proved unfounded. No deaths or violent incidents related to the coup were reported.[2]

The Free Officers Movement, which claimed credit for carrying out the coup, was headed by a twelve-
member directorate that designated itself the Revolutionary Command Council (RCC). This body
constituted the Libyan government after the coup. In its initial proclamation on 1 September,[3] the RCC
declared the country to be a free and sovereign state called the Libyan Arab Republic, which would
proceed "in the path of freedom, unity, and social justice, guaranteeing the right of equality to its citizens,
and opening before them the doors of honourable work." The rule of the Turks and Italians and the
"reactionary" government which were overthrown were characterised as belonging to "dark ages", from
which the Libyan people were called to move forward as "free brothers" to a new age of prosperity,
equality, and honour.

The RCC advised diplomatic representatives in Libya that the revolutionary changes had not been directed
from outside the country, that existing treaties and agreements would remain in effect, and that foreign lives
and property would be protected. Diplomatic recognition of the new government came quickly from
countries throughout the world. United States recognition was officially extended on 6 September.

Post-coup events
In view of the lack of internal resistance, it appeared that the chief danger to the new government lay in the
possibility of a reaction inspired by the absent King Idris or his designated heir, Hasan ar Rida, who had
been taken into custody at the time of the coup along with other senior civil and military officials of the
royal government. Within days of the coup, however, Hasan publicly renounced all rights to the throne,
stated his support for the new government, and called on the people to accept it without violence.

Idris, in an exchange of messages with the RCC through Egypt's President Nasser, dissociated himself from
reported attempts to secure British intervention and disclaimed any intention of coming back to Libya. In
return, he was assured by the RCC of the safety of his family still in the country. At his own request and
with Nasser's approval, Idris took up residence once again in Egypt, where he had spent his first exile and
where he remained until his death in 1983.

On 7 September 1969, the RCC announced that it had appointed a cabinet to conduct the government of
the new republic. An American-educated technician, Mahmud Sulayman al-Maghribi, who had been
imprisoned since 1967 for his political activities, was designated prime minister. He presided over the eight-
member Council of Ministers, of whom six, like Maghrabi, were civilians and two – Adam Said Hawwaz
and Musa Ahmad – were military officers. Neither of the officers was a member of the RCC.

The Council of Ministers was instructed to "implement the state's general policy as drawn up by the RCC".
The next day the RCC promoted Captain Gaddafi to colonel and appointed him commander-in-chief of the
Libyan Armed Forces. Although RCC spokesmen declined until January 1970 to reveal any other names
of RCC members, it was apparent from that date onward that the head of the RCC and new de facto head
of state was Gaddafi.

Analysts were quick to point out the striking similarities between the Libyan military coup of 1969 and that
in Egypt under Nasser in 1952, and it became clear that the Egyptian experience and the charismatic figure
of Nasser had formed the model for the Free Officers Movement. As the RCC in the last months of 1969
moved to institute domestic reforms, it proclaimed neutrality in the confrontation between the superpowers
and opposition to all forms of colonialism and imperialism.

It also made clear Libya's dedication to Arab unity and to the support of the Palestinian cause against Israel.
The RCC reaffirmed the country's identity as part of the "Arab nation" and its state religion as Islam.
Parliamentary institutions from the kingdom were dissolved with legislative functions being assumed by the
RCC, and the prohibition against political parties was continued, in effect from 1952.

The new government categorically rejected communism – in large part because it was atheist – and
officially espoused an Arab interpretation of socialism that integrated Islamic principles with social,
economic, and political reform.

See also
1969 Libyan coup d'état attempt
2013 Libyan coup d'état attempt
2014 Libyan coup d'état attempts
Cultural Revolution (Libya)
Egyptian revolution of 1952

References
1. Cyrenaican Defence Force (http://orbat.com/site/history/open_vol2/Cyrenaican%20Defenc
e%20Force.pdf) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20131008102855/http://orbat.com/sit
e/history/open_vol2/Cyrenaican%20Defence%20Force.pdf) October 8, 2013, at the
Wayback Machine Leigh Ingram-Seal
2. BBC News: 1969: Bloodless coup in Libya (http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/
september/1/newsid_3911000/3911587.stm)
3. "First Decree of the revolution" (https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B7-KFQOKhAl1ZjAxN
zkwMWItMGJhMS00NTg1LTk4NjgtOTRhZmIzYmQ4ZTI0&hl=en). (1 September 1969) at
EMERglobal Lex (http://emerglobal.com/lex) for the Edinburgh Middle East Report.
Retrieved 31 March 2010.

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