April 25th is Liberty Day, a Portuguese national holiday comemorating the non-violent 1974 revolution that led to the establishment of a parliamentary democracy. Before that time, the country was governed by Oliveira Salazar's fascist dictatorship, under which many suffered. By the early 1970s, even those in the army ranks - meant to carry out Salazar's orders - were largely supporting the movement against the dictator. On 25 April, 1974, army soldiers took to the streets with disabled weapons; as a symbol of their solidarity with the people, they jammed nails into the barrels of their guns, rendering them useless. The people were heartened by this monumental gesture and took to the streets with flowers. Some soliders placed the stems of flowers in their gun barrels. This collective showing of peace and solidarity is documented as both "The Revolution of the Nails" and "The Revolution of the Carnations."