 The 1974 Carnation Revolution muPortugal yakaita chinjo pakarepo muEast Timor, nemapato matsva ezvematongerwe enyika akaumbwa nechinangwa chokuzvimiririra kubva kuPortugal. Ukama pakati pemapato matsva aya hwakanga husina kugadzikana. Vamwe, zvikurukuru Democratic Union yeTimor UDT, vakatsigira kubatana neIndonesia. Musi waAugust 11, 1975, UDT yakatanga kupandukira hurumende. Kudzora kweUDT kwaive kushoma kunze kweDili, uye musi wa20 Nyamavhuvhu bato rinopikisa reFretilin rakatanga kuyedza kutora guta. Dzimwe dzimba dzakapiswa kuti dzibatsire kuzvidzivirira, zvisinei pashure pemazuva mashomanana Fretilin akabudirira kutora guta. Gavhuna wokupedzisira wePortugal akatiza Dili achienda kuAtauro Island musi wa26 August, sezvo hondo yevagari vemo yairamba ichienderera mberi. Musi waNovember 28, Fretilin akazivisa rusununguko mumhemberero muDili. Musi wa7 Zvita, Indonesia yakaisa maparatroopers muguta uye mauto eamphibious kumadokero kwaro, sechikamu chekupinda muEast Timor., zvichiita kuti vakawanda vatize muguta racho. 