Jaime Milans del Bosch

Jaime Milans del Bosch y Ussía (June 8, 1915 - July 26, 1997) was a Lieutenant General in the Spanish Army who was dismissed in 1981 for his role in the failed coup d'état of 23 February 1981 (23-F).

Biography

Milans del Bosch was born into a noble family whose members had held many senior military ranks - he is reportedFact|date=March 2008 to have boasted how many of his ancestors had participated in coups d'état.

In 1934, he entered the military academy of Toledo. As a cadet, he fought in the Civil War at the Alcázar of Toledo, where he was injured during a republican bombing. Shortly afterwards, he received his officer's commission in the Spanish Foreign Legion. In 1941, Bosch joined the Blue Division to fight against the Soviet Union under German command.

After the war, he held successive positions as Military attache in the Spanish embassies in Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay.

Promoted to Brigadier General in 1971 and Major General in 1974, he was appointed commander of the 3rd military district (headquartered in Valencia) in 1977, at the rank of Lieutenant-General "(Teniente general)".

23-F

Milans del Bosch was the only senior army commander who supported the coup without reservation and made offensive operations of importance. On February 23, 1981, shortly after Antonio Tejero had stormed Congress, he ordered tanks to the streets of Valencia and decreed a state of emergency.

After the televised message of king Juan Carlos I, those in the military who had not yet pronounced themselves decided to remain on the side of the government, causing the coup to fail. Despite the lack of support, Milans del Bosch only surrendered at 5 a.m. on the next day, February 24.

Court-martial and dishonorable discharge

Milans del Bosch was court-martialled on 8 of March, 1981. On June 3, 1982, he was sentenced to a 26 years and 8 months prison term and expelled from the army. Barely 9 years later, in 1991, he was pardoned and released due to advanced age. He never expressed remorse for his implication in the coup.

He returned to live in his native Madrid, where he died of a brain tumor in 1997. He is interred at the Alcázar of Toledo.