I have read in several places lately that King Zahir Shah of Afghanistan was deposed in a "bloodless" coup. I was there in 1973, and am sure that his wives and cousins and generals who were killed that night and the following day might object to that characterization. In fact, if memory serves, the guy who took over, Mohammed Daoud, was a cousin of his as well. Tanks in the streets of Kabul, no mail or telephones for a few weeks; it didn't seem bloodless to me. They burned down a general's house, with everyone inside. That's the day that I found out that burning humans smell just exectly the same as seared beef steak. No, not quite bloodless.