INSTABILITY IN EUROPE

1. INSTABILITY IN EUROPE Articles covering the events that led to the Second World War Ms. Salsberry 1st Period

2. INSTABILITY IN EUROPEInside this Presentation Slide 3: The Spanish Civil War Quotes, Picture, and Caption Slide 4: The Spanish Civil War Article Slide 5: Mussolini invades Ethiopia Quotes, Picture, and Caption Slide 6: Mussolini invades Ethiopia Article Slide 7: Hitler Invades Poland Quotes, Picture, and Caption Slide 8: Hitler Invades Poland Article

3. THE SPANISH CIVIL WARJuly 17, 1936 to April 1, 1939 “Los fascistas no pasarán! NO PASARÁN!” (“The fascists shall not pass! THEY SHALL NOT PASS!”) Dolores Ibárruri, leader of the Communist Party in Spain. (“No PASARÁN!” became a rallying cry for all anti-fascists throughout the war, not just Communists.) “The Spanish bourgeoisie saw their chance of crushing the labour movement, and took it, aided by the Nazis and by the forces of reaction all over the world. It is doubtful whether more than that will ever be established.” George Orwell, British author (Orwell traveled to Spain to take part in the war on the side of the elected Spanish government. Here, Orwell explains what he believes to be the cause of the Spanish Civil War – economic and social struggle between the haves and the have-nots.) Above: Hitler and Mussolini formed the Rome-Berlin Axis coalition in 1936 after both the Italians and Germans supported fascist Francisco Franco’s attack against the Spanish Republic.

4. Ron Burgundy, Field Reporter Fall 1936 It appears as though the cause of democracy is being challenged yet again as Europe heads towards total war. I suppose it was only a matter of time, as more radical right-winged members were elected to the Spanish parliament and the fear of militarism and fascism grew. The Prime Minister and President of Spain would have been wise to have listened to the warnings of a growing conspiracy inside the Spanish military. On July 17, 1936, Spanish army officers led by Francisco Franco rebelled against the democratically elected government of Spain, declaring to be protecting the establishment and the Spanish way of life. One allied power, the Soviet Union, continues to support the elected Spanish Republic. Other allied powers remain neutral. Italy and Germany, fascists themselves, have pledged support to Franco’s nationalists. Some Americans, including the “Abraham Lincoln Battalion”, broke from the country’s official policy of neutrality and traveled to Spain to fight on the side of the Spanish republic. Western democracies should not look the other way! This war is an insurrection against a legally constituted democratic, but left-leaning, government. If American and European powers are afraid of working with the Soviet Union as they interfere abroad I ask you, is that not even more of a reason to get involved on the side of liberalism? The Spanish Civil War is certainly a struggle between tyranny and democracy, although Franco’s nationalists would say it was one between communists and “Christian Civilization”. Perhaps if the United States and other allied powers had intervened sooner (or at all), Franco would not have been able to take control and Hitler and Mussolini would not have had a fascist friend in Southwest Europe? Perhaps if the allied powers had intervened sooner, Hitler and Mussolini would not have created the Rome-Berlin Axis coalition in October of this year after working with one another in Spain? Perhaps we will never know. This reporter predicts that no good can come of another totalitarian government ruling in Europe. Things will only get easier for those against the noble causes of freedom, democracy, and justice. Spanish civil war. (2012). Encyclopedia Britannica . Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/558032/Spanish-Civil-War