Discover the life of Antonio Salazar, the enigmatic professor who became one of the 20th century’s most enduring dictators. This history documentary uncovers the truth behind the Estado Novo in Portugal, tracing Salazar’s journey from humble origins to the absolute ruler of a global empire. Unlike Adolf Hitler or Mussolini, Salazar was a quiet intellectual who maintained his authoritarian regime through economic discipline, the terrifying PIDE secret police, and promoted neutrality during World War II. We explore his critical interventions in the Spanish Civil War, his strategic navigation of the Cold War, and the exhausting Portuguese Colonial War that eventually led to the regime’s collapse.