This is a comparative study of military coups in Africa south of the Sahara between 1958 and 1980. The study is divided into three parts. The first part deals with some different theories found in literature concerning coups d'état on a more general level. The second part is an empirical review concentrating on the justifications given by the military leaders for their interventions. The third part is an attempt to compare the explanations given by the researchers in Part one with the justifications presented in Part two.