The 10 Biggest Failed Military Coups

Military coups have often been dramatic attempts to overthrow governments—promising change, power, and often chaos. But not all coups succeed. Some fall apart before they even begin, while others end in bloodshed and scandal. Here is a rundown of the 10 most notable military coups in history—all of which failed.

#10: The Spanish Coup Attempt in 1981

In 1981, a group of armed officers stormed the Spanish parliament in an attempt to overthrow democracy and restore an authoritarian regime. The iconic scene where leader Antonio Tejero fired shots into the air was broadcast on TV, but King Juan Carlos’ clear support for democracy quashed the coup plotters.

#9: The French OAS Coup in Algeria, 1961

When France began withdrawing from Algeria, a group of high-ranking generals tried to seize power in protest against President de Gaulle’s policy. However, the coup attempt quickly fell apart as neither the broader military nor the public supported the rebels.

#8: The Coup Against Hugo Chávez in 2002

In Venezuela, rebel generals briefly removed Chávez from power, but popular resistance and loyalist forces quickly reinstated him. The coup attempt was both a humiliation for the opposition and a springboard for Chávez’s increased power concentration.

#7: The Night of the Coup in Turkey, 2016

An element of the Turkish military attempted to remove President Erdoğan from power. Although they launched attacks on key institutions and used fighter jets, Erdoğan mobilized his supporters via FaceTime and social media. The coup plotters surrendered a few hours later, and the regime cracked down hard on all involved.

#6: The August Coup in the Soviet Union, 1991

A group of conservative communists tried to remove Gorbachev and save the Soviet Union. But widespread popular resistance, especially in Moscow led by Boris Yeltsin, made the coup a failure. Ironically, it accelerated the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

#5: The Bay of Pigs Invasion, 1961

While not a military coup in the classic sense, the CIA-supported invasion of Cuba was an attempt to trigger an internal military coup against Fidel Castro. The invasion was quickly crushed, humiliating the US and strengthening Castro’s grip on power.

#4: The Coup in Chile Against Pinochet, 1986

In 1986, armed dissidents and former military personnel attempted to assassinate Augusto Pinochet and ignite an uprising against his dictatorship. They came close—Pinochet’s car was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades—but he survived, and the coup network was brutally dismantled afterward.

#3: The Failed Coup in Greece, 1973

During the Greek military dictatorship, a group of officers attempted to overthrow the regime’s leadership to take control themselves. The coup failed, and the dictatorship’s power apparatus quickly retaliated—but the event contributed to the regime’s ultimate collapse the following year.

#2: The Coup Against Hitler – Operation Valkyrie, 1944

One of history’s most dramatic coup attempts was when Claus von Stauffenberg tried to assassinate Hitler and overthrow the Nazi regime. The bomb exploded, but Hitler survived miraculously. The conspirators were quickly captured and executed. Unsuccessful, but courageous.

#1: The Chinese Coup Attempt Against Mao Zedong, 1971

China’s second most powerful man, Lin Biao, reportedly planned to overthrow Mao. According to Chinese sources, his plane crashed while fleeing after the failed coup. It remains shrouded in mystery, but the coup, if it indeed took place, was unparalleled in ambition and scope—and it cost Lin Biao his life.

Our team may have used AI to assist in the creation of this content, which has been reviewed by our editors.