March 2, 1964
João Carlos Starling
Given by the then general and Army Chief of Staff, the lecture's theme was "Constitutional Purpose and Objectives of the Army." The subject, proposed by Castello Branco, was related to the "revolutionary war" theory, imported from France in the late 1950s. Adapted to the Brazilian reality, the theory instilled in the military a distrust of politicians, contempt for the masses, and the conviction that they themselves were the only ones capable of promoting the political and social "refoundation" of the country. Although it received little coverage in the press, this episode stands out within a context in which the possibility of a military intervention was already being widely discussed within the barracks.
Military training institutions, such as ECEME itself, were fundamental pieces in the 1964 coup-plotting universe. Besides being centers of indoctrination, they provided the opportunity to build connections within the military social circle and between military personnel and civilians. Their role was essential for spreading the notions related to the "revolutionary war" theory, which were already widely absorbed into military thinking. Furthermore, they helped infiltrate these themes into some civilian segments.
Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a modern building located in front of a large rock. On the left side, there is a tree with green leaves. In the center, the building has many windows arranged horizontally and vertically. On the right, there is another tree with green leaves. In the background, the rock is steep and covered with vegetation. In the bottom left corner, there is a sign with numbers and letters.Sede da Escola de Comando e Estado-Maior do Exército, na Praia Vermelha. Autor desconhecido, 1942. Arquivo Nacional