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262:), and from there summon old friends in military units he had served with. He knew the area well and felt confident that many officers and troops would quickly rally to the anti-Duvalier cause. Using the large cache of weapons and ammunition stored in the Casernes Dessalines, they would then seize the Palace and other key facilities.
345:
Pasquet and his men had badly miscalculated the mood of the
Haitian public and the military. While Duvalier's dictatorial tendencies were becoming increasingly plain, he was still seen, after a long period of political turmoil, as a strong force for stability and unity. The bodies of some of the coup
285:
to a small beach cabin. They were observed by local peasants, who alerted the headquarters of the St. Marc's military district. That evening, a
Haitian officer and three soldiers who arrived in a jeep to investigate were fired on by the rebels; one soldier was killed on the spot, and the other three
250:
Duvalier, the exiles befriended five
Americans who were willing to accompany them on a mission to Haiti. The Americans – Arthur Payne, Dany Jones, Levant Kersten, Robert F. Hickey, and Joe D. Walker – were intrigued by the promise of adventure and a possibly very lucrative outcome. A yacht captained
332:
At daybreak on 29 July the
Haitian army's counterattack began, with Pasquet reportedly killed by a grenade blast while still using the phone in the commandant's office. Perpignan was killed while attempting to flee out the back of the building; the wounded American, Arthur Payne, allegedly tried to
328:
While
Pasquet frantically called around for help, President Duvalier donned uniform, helmet, and pistol-belt and began rallying his supporters; meanwhile, several Army officers had already begun surrounding and sealing off the Casernes Dessalines, placing heavy machine guns at key positions around
324:
soldier and sent him to a nearby store to buy a packet of "Splendide" cigarettes. The soldier – reportedly
Duvalier's personal driver – immediately ran to the National Palace, where he informed the Presidential Guard that the rebels were only eight in number, one of them wounded. The small size of
315:
The gunfire – and
Pasquet's phone calls – had alerted Duvalier that trouble was afoot at the barracks, but initially he had no idea of the scope of the uprising, and reportedly prepared his family for evacuation to the Liberian embassy. Calling the commandant of the Dessalines barracks, he instead
311:
Pasquet was disappointed to learn that there was no enthusiasm among the soldiers for a rising against
Duvalier, and that most of the arms usually stored at Casernes Dessalines had recently been transferred to the National Palace. Rather than lead an immediate assault on the palace, he entered the
246:, Pasquet led a political movement to overthrow Duvalier and restore Haiti's traditional social order. At the same time, he, Dominique, and Perpignan began plotting a direct strike against the Duvalier government. Although the U.S. government was tepidly supportive of the
333:
claim he was an
American journalist before being shot, and Levant Kersten may have briefly succeeded in blending into the growing crowd of civilians before being spotted and killed. Dominique and the tattooed captain of the
307:
and its occupants attracted the attention of the garrison, and firing broke out. Three
Haitian soldiers were shot, and about 50 more – most of whom had been sleeping – were placed under guard, with officers tied to chairs.
353:'s government. It had the effect of deepening Duvalier's fear of any dissent, and inspired him to create a paramilitary and the secret police force as they are loyal to Duvalier – the Volunteers for National Security (
303:, one of the brightly decorated mini-bus taxis common in Haiti. Arriving at the Dessalines barracks about 10 p.m., Pasquet bluffed his way past sentries, saying he was delivering prisoners. Before long, however, the
346:
plotters were dragged through the streets of Port-au-Prince to cheering crowds, and Duvalier was photographed in uniform and hailed in the Haitian press as having led the counterattack on the coup plotters himself.
281:, in an area known as Déluge, about forty-five miles north of Port-au-Prince. The three Haitians, in military uniform, and the five Americans, dressed as tourists, began transferring weapons and supplies from the
319:
In a story of uncertain veracity which was later widely reported, one of the plotters (usually identified as Perpignan) was so eager to enjoy his favorite blend of local tobacco that he gave some money to a
987:
970:
610:
286:
wounded, all later dying. One of the Americans, Arthur Payne, a former Miami-Dade County sheriff's deputy, was wounded in the leg. Taking the jeep, Pasquet and his men began driving to Port-au-Prince.
965:
605:
1322:
637:
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627:
183:
Contemporary newspaper articles sometimes referred to the coup attempt as 'Pasquet's Invasion' or 'the Sheriffs Invasion' (as some of the Americans involved were former sheriff's deputies).
180:
and rallying like-minded troops for an attack on the Presidential palace. Hoped-for support failed to materialize and all eight of the insurgents were killed by troops loyal to Duvalier.
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After the Duvalier era, 'Sonson' Pasquet came to be seen in Haiti as both a foolish and gallant figure. In 1973 his son, also named Alix Pasquet, married and had two children with
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Among those exiled were three former officers in the Haitian Army: Captain Alix "Sonson" Pasquet, Lt. Phillipe "Fito" Dominique, and Lt. Henri "Riquet" Perpignan.
213:, who formed much of Haiti's upper class – and who were a source of much of the opposition to Duvalier – were frequently harassed, arrested, or forced into exile.
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commandant's office and began making phone calls to friends in the army – none of whom, to his growing consternation, showed any interest in joining him.
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1018:
902:
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Pasquet's plan was to land near the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince, seize the Casernes Dessalines (an army barracks near the
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family, and had also been a star player on Haiti's national football team. Dominique and Perpignan were also
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in September 1957. A doctor and former Minister of Health, he was initially seen by many Haitians as a
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1205:
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1048:
337:, Joe Walker, were found in the barracks riddled with bullets. All eight of the rebels were killed.
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1380:
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the rebel force was confirmed by other soldiers who had managed to escape from the barracks.
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207:. Rival political parties were banned, and independent newspapers were shut down. Mixed-race
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8:
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467:, by Bernard Diederich & Alan Burton; Markus Wiener Publishers, Incorporated, 1969
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The Siege of Casernes Dessalines: the Story of Alix Pasquet, Haitian Tuskegee Airman
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got Pasquet, who infuriated Duvalier by demanding that he surrender immediately.
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En route to the capital the rebels flagged down and commandeered a passing
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372:, who later married and had two children with François Duvalier's son,
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278:
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Pasquet was an aviator who had trained and served in combat with the
204:
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599:
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On the afternoon of 28 July 1958 the insurgents' yacht arrived off
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reformer; however, he soon began to display behavior typical of an
200:
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376:, making 'Sonson' and 'Papa Doc's grandchildren half siblings.
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army officers. Dominique was Pasquet's brother-in-law.
349:
Pasquet's was the first of many coup attempts against
365:" – which would terrorize Haiti for decades to come.
265:
The eight well-armed invaders left Miami aboard the
1594:
511:, and attempted coups in the Americas since 1900
489:
80:Coup attempt failed, Pasquet killed in combat
172:, attempted to overthrow Haitian President
496:
482:
432:'A Weird, Fatal Dash To Turbulent Haiti',
38:
18:July 1958 Haitian coup d'état attempt
428:
426:
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355:Les Volontaires de la Sécurité Nationale
288:
27:Attempted overthrow of François Duvalier
448:
446:
444:
442:
399:
397:
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393:
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293:Duvalier during July 1958 coup attempt.
44:Coup leader Alix Pasquet, date unknown.
14:
1595:
477:
421:
33:July 1958 Haitian coup d'état attempt
1613:1950s coups d'état and coup attempts
439:
386:
455:, by Elizabeth Abbot; Penguin, 2011
272:
24:
25:
1629:
465:Papa Doc and the Tontons Macoutes
138:
126:
107:
95:
374:Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier
176:by seizing an army barracks in
458:
409:
13:
1:
379:
186:
340:
255:, would take them to Haiti.
164:, accompanied by two fellow
7:
168:officers and five American
10:
1634:
1432:Trinidad and Tobago (1990)
269:on or about 25 July 1958.
227:. He was from a prominent
1568:
1547:
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1424:
1348:
1198:
1155:Dominican Republic (1963)
1112:
996:
854:
702:
661:
577:
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453:Haiti: A Shattered Nation
436:magazine, August 11, 1958
119:
88:
48:
37:
32:
1603:Attempted coups in Haiti
406:Frantz Haspil, July 2006
195:' Duvalier was elected
294:
120:Commanders and leaders
292:
162:Alix "Sonson" Pasquet
160:On 28–29 July 1958,
114:Haitian Armed Forces
988:Paraguay (Sep 1949)
170:soldiers of fortune
1335:El Salvador (1979)
1244:El Salvador (1972)
1125:El Salvador (1961)
1120:El Salvador (1960)
950:El Salvador (1948)
735:El Salvador (1931)
295:
197:President of Haiti
102:Haitian government
1618:Conflicts in 1958
1590:
1589:
1401:Panama (Mar 1988)
648:Costa Rica (1917)
174:François Duvalier
158:
157:
133:François Duvalier
84:
83:
16:(Redirected from
1625:
1524:Venezuela (2002)
1483:Guatemala (1993)
1396:Haiti (Sep 1988)
1391:Haiti (Jun 1988)
1376:Guatemala (1983)
1371:Guatemala (1982)
1297:Argentina (1976)
1259:Chile (Sep 1973)
1254:Chile (Jun 1973)
1175:Argentina (1966)
1145:Guatemala (1963)
1135:Argentina (1962)
1084:Venezuela (1958)
1074:Guatemala (1957)
1049:Argentina (1955)
1044:Guatemala (1954)
1009:Argentina (1951)
945:Venezuela (1948)
935:Nicaragua (1947)
915:Venezuela (1945)
877:Argentina (1943)
806:Nicaragua (1936)
720:Argentina (1930)
638:Haiti (Nov 1914)
628:Haiti (Jan 1914)
559:Venezuela (1908)
498:
491:
484:
475:
474:
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462:
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430:
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361:– the infamous "
273:The coup attempt
225:Second World War
166:Haitian military
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1572:successful coup
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1539:Honduras (2009)
1509:Paraguay (2000)
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1488:Paraguay (1996)
1437:Suriname (1990)
1420:
1416:Paraguay (1989)
1366:Dominica (1981)
1356:Suriname (1980)
1344:
1307:Honduras (1978)
1287:Honduras (1975)
1234:Honduras (1972)
1194:
1160:Honduras (1963)
1108:
1069:Colombia (1957)
1064:Honduras (1956)
1039:Paraguay (1954)
1034:Colombia (1953)
992:
978:Colombia (1949)
955:Paraguay (1948)
862:Paraguay (1940)
850:
831:Paraguay (1937)
801:Paraguay (1936)
698:
657:
585:Paraguay (1911)
573:
554:Paraguay (1908)
549:Paraguay (1905)
539:Paraguay (1904)
529:Paraguay (1902)
524:Colombia (1900)
512:
502:
472:
471:
463:
459:
451:
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431:
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387:
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370:Michèle Bennett
363:Tonton Macoutes
343:
275:
260:National Palace
251:by Walker, the
221:Tuskegee Airmen
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125:
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94:
72:
56:28–29 July 1958
43:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1631:
1621:
1620:
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1610:
1605:
1588:
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1582:attempted coup
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1563:
1562:
1560:Bolivia (2024)
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1545:
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1504:Ecuador (2000)
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1386:Bolivia (1984)
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1381:Grenada (1983)
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1373:
1368:
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1361:Bolivia (1980)
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1340:Bolivia (1979)
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1330:Grenada (1979)
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1325:
1320:
1309:
1304:
1302:Ecuador (1976)
1299:
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1292:Ecuador (1975)
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1283:
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1277:
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1264:Bolivia (1974)
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1256:
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1249:Uruguay (1973)
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1239:Ecuador (1972)
1236:
1231:
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1211:Bolivia (1970)
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1190:Bolivia (1969)
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1165:Bolivia (1964)
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1150:Ecuador (1963)
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1130:Ecuador (1961)
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930:Ecuador (1947)
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920:Bolivia (1946)
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882:Bolivia (1943)
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872:Uruguay (1942)
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821:Bolivia (1937)
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811:Bolivia (1936)
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796:Ecuador (1935)
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791:Bolivia (1934)
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781:Uruguay (1933)
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771:
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748:
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694:Ecuador (1925)
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669:Bolivia (1920)
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329:the facility.
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248:anti-communist
238:From exile in
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178:Port-au-Prince
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66:Port-au-Prince
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34:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1630:
1619:
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1608:1958 in Haiti
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1411:Panama (1989)
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1180:Panama (1968)
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1170:Brazil (1964)
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1099:Brazil (1959)
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1059:Brazil (1956)
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1054:Brazil (1955)
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1014:Panama (1951)
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910:Brazil (1945)
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891:
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867:Panama (1941)
865:
863:
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859:
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853:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
836:Brazil (1938)
834:
832:
829:
827:
826:Brazil (1937)
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728:
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19:
1581:
1580:no sign for
1529:Haiti (2004)
1519:Haiti (2001)
1442:Haiti (1991)
1406:Haiti (1989)
1206:Haiti (1970)
1079:Haiti (1958)
1078:
1004:Haiti (1950)
925:Haiti (1946)
846:Chile (1939)
841:Chile (1938)
689:Chile (1925)
684:Chile (1924)
643:Haiti (1915)
590:Haiti (1911)
564:Haiti (1908)
534:Haiti (1902)
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418:January 2021
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150:
145:Alix Pasquet
89:Belligerents
1555:Peru (2022)
1534:Peru (2005)
1514:Peru (2000)
1185:Peru (1968)
1140:Peru (1962)
1104:Cuba (1959)
1024:Cuba (1952)
940:Peru (1948)
887:El Salvador
786:Cuba (1933)
715:Peru (1930)
653:Peru (1919)
633:Peru (1914)
569:Peru (1909)
404:We Remember
223:during the
1597:Categories
509:self-coups
380:References
191:François '
187:Background
1576:self-coup
1447:Venezuela
774:September
751:September
357:) or the
341:Aftermath
279:Montrouis
210:mulattoes
1476:November
1458:November
1453:February
1323:November
1275:February
971:February
960:Paraguay
756:December
611:February
600:Paraguay
351:Duvalier
205:autocrat
201:populist
193:Papa Doc
61:Location
1467:(1992)
1449:(1992)
1314:(1978)
1312:Bolivia
1271:(1975)
1222:January
1218:(1971)
1216:Bolivia
966:January
962:(1949)
903:October
889:(1944)
765:(1932)
742:(1931)
606:January
602:(1912)
335:Molly C
322:mulatto
305:tap tap
300:tap tap
283:Molly C
267:Molly C
253:Molly C
244:Florida
233:mulatto
229:mulatto
151:†
1280:August
1227:August
147:
77:Status
1548:2020s
1497:2000s
1471:April
1425:1990s
1349:1980s
1199:1970s
1113:1960s
997:1950s
893:April
855:1940s
763:Chile
740:Chile
703:1930s
662:1920s
616:March
578:1910s
517:1900s
505:Coups
240:Miami
70:Haiti
1465:Peru
1318:July
1269:Peru
769:June
746:July
434:Life
53:Date
898:May
359:VSN
1599::
507:,
441:^
423:^
388:^
242:,
68:,
497:e
490:t
483:v
20:)
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