Lisbon. In a modest little café, Carmona, dressed in disguise, sat at a small table, sipping coffee at an unhurried pace. It was still early, and there were few people in the café.
Before long, a tall young man sat down across from Carmona. After ordering a coffee, he began speaking with him.
"Sir, have you decided what you intend to do?" the young man asked. He was Mendes, the military attaché at the German Embassy in Portugal.
Earlier, Mendes had already made contact with Carmona, as well as Army Minister Cabecadas and Army Chief of Staff da Costa. He had revealed Germany's willingness to support them in launching a coup.
This greatly interested Cabecadas and da Costa. If they could overthrow the current government and become the leaders of Portugal, it would undoubtedly be a dream come true for them.
In another time and space, it was precisely these military men who, several years later, overthrew the Portuguese government and established a dictatorship ruled by the military. Carmona, moreover, would rise to prominence later and rule Portugal as a dictator for more than twenty years.
"Sir, both the Minister and the Chief of Staff are very interested in your proposal. However, if we launch a military coup and overthrow the current government, Portuguese society may well descend into turmoil. That would cause great harm to all of Portugal," Carmona said.
"If you move quickly enough, you should be able to stabilize Portugal's political situation very soon. We can provide you with a batch of weapons, equipment, and funds for this coup," Mendes said.
"Sir, how much assistance can Germany provide us?" Carmona asked.
"Twenty million Imperial Marks, along with enough equipment to arm two Infantry Divisions," Mendes said.
Portugal's total population was only a little over six million, and