Logistical Exploration of the Chilean Coup (1973): Networks of Power and Biopower in the Pre-Digital Age

Abstract

On September 11, 1973, the socialist government of Salvador Allende in Chile was overthrown by a junta led by General Augusto Pinochet, illustrating how an operation could combine a comprehensive strategy with on-the-ground execution to rapidly transform a democracy into a violent dictatorship. Success relied less on the spread of anti-communist ideology than on precise logistical timing. In a pre-digital context, the junta mobilized its forces with precision, identified vulnerabilities, and seized control of strategic nodes, highlighting the importance of advance planning and contextual adaptation. The study of the Chilean coup, viewed through the lens of pre-digital networks and drawing on Curzio Malaparte’s conceptualization of the coup, shows how the orchestration of material and information flows, actor flexibility, and meticulous preparation, supported by the United States, enabled the effective neutralization of a legitimate government. This dramatic event offers lessons on resilience and the management of complex systems, which have since inspired contemporary commercial supply chain practices in many Western countries.

Keywords: Chilean coup, clandestine operations, network coordination, pre-digital era, resilience, strategic planning, supply chain management (SCM)

DOI: 10.7176/IKM/16-2-05

Publication date: August 31^st 2026