Legionary Reaction

Legionary Reaction
Date 1 April- 2 April 1938 Location Poveglia, Etruria Result Legionary victory Overthrow of the Second Etrurian Republic Establishment of the Etrurian Revolutionary Republic and single party state Beginning of Etrurianisation
Belligerents
Eturian Government Supported by: Senate of Etruria Loyalist military units Etrurian Worker's Party	Revolutionary Legion of Etruria Supported by: Putchist military units Black Templar Association of the Mother-Wolf Praetorian League
Commanders and leaders
Marco Antonio Ercolani  † Aurelio Cesare Tozzo  † Argo Secondari  † Vincenzo Baldazzi  † Guido Solariano  †	Ettore Caviglia Aldo Aurelio Tassinari Franco Gioda Mario Giampaoli Decio Razza
Strength
~251 loyalist police and soldiers in Poveglia	~3,586 in Poveglia 50,000-100,000 during the March on Solaria
Casualties and losses
~231-311 senators killed 2,300-3,500 supporters killed or imprisoned	32 killed 46 injured
286 civilians killed or injured

The Legionary Reaction (Vespasian: Reazione Legionaria) or April’s Fish Massacre (Il massacro di Pesce d’Aprile) was a coup d'état that took place on 1 April and 2 April 1938. On those days, forces loyal to the Revolutionary Legion of Etruria staged a simultaneous mass march on the city of Solaria and a violent overthrow of the Etrurian government in the capital, Poveglia. The event overthrew the Second Etrurian Republic and led to the formation of the Etrurian Revolutionary Republic and a single-party totalitarian regime.

The Reaction followed two years of crumbling civil governance due to the "Emergency Government of Peace", which was established in wake of the Great War. The EGP had been established to maintain peace as civil unrest erupted across Etruria over poor territorial gains made in wake of the allied victory, economic collapse and poor management of demobilised soldiers.

The Reaction, argued by some, began in the early hours of 20 February with the "March on Solaria", where between 50,000 and 100,000 supporters of the Revolutionary Legion of Etruria began the 100km march from Vicalvi to Solaria. Though, officially historiography states that it began on April 1, when the March reached the outskirts of Solaria. In conjunction, armed soldiers and sailors of the RLE entered Poveglia and stormed the Palazzo Orsini, which housed the Etrurian parliament, while it was in an emergency session to debate the March. RLE militia then gunned down and killed over 90% of the sitting legislature and executed by firing squad the government of President Marco Antonio Ercolani. This was followed by a speech by RLE leader, Ettore Caviglia who declared the overthrow of the republic and the establishment of a new National Solarianist regime.

Background

Red August

Main article: Red August (Etruria)

To many historians, the origins of both National Solarianism and the demise of the Second Republic lay during the period of instability, socialist agitations and political violence, colloquially known as Red August.

The late 1900s had seen the emergence of organised workers’ committees and rights movements. While the democratisation of the workplace was welcomed by some in the liberal government, many saw it as a possible route for socialist agitation and influence. The 1910s would as a result, would be dominated by the struggles between trade unions and the federal government. This would escalate from 1913 until 1917, as President Emiliano Capri sought to control and contain trade unionism through its subordination to the federal government.