The Debate over Military (or Civilian‐Military?) Dictatorship in B razil in Historiographical Context

This article highlights the renewed interest in the history of the coup of 1964 and the dictatorship that followed in B razil, as well as some debates involved in the production of memoirs, investigative journalism and academic research on the topic. It analyses at more length one of the polemics: the increasing use of the term ‘civilian‐military’ to qualify the coup, the rule, and the dictatorship. It argues that – independent of the use of the term – the most important aspect is to understand the complex relationship between the military and civilians as part of a broader process of conservative modernisation during this period.