31st March 1964: The Day the Brazilian Army Saved Brazil

As Brazilians rightly celebrate the 56th anniversary of the military intervention that saved their country from a communist takeover, which would result in the inevitable loss of countless innocent lives, I think it is most appropriate to explain the context by which the army officers were called by the people to depose a highly unpopular, leftist political ruler. What follows is an account of the most important events surrounding that momentous event in the constitutional history of Brazil.