Chile: Why Allende Fell

The death of Salvador Allende, either by suicide or assassination, and the pitiless repression that followed the liquidation of his regime, have complicated the observer’s task. Everyone is outraged, and rightfully so, at the violence done to Chilean constitutionality and civilian rule. I concur unreservedly with this censure. However, I cannot refrain from observing that many of those who today denounce the Santiago putsch were ecstatic over the golpe institucional, which in 1968 enabled the “progressive” Peruvian armed forces to depose President Belaunde and impose a strictly autocratic regime.

The French Left now, in its embarrassment over the collapse of the experiment it had endorsed rather off-hand...