Spain’s Economic Transformation Under Franco (1939–1973)
Spain’s International Position and Post-War Isolation
During the Second World War, Spain remained neutral, despite Franco’s meetings with Mussolini and Hitler. However, in late 1941, Spain partially supported the Axis by sending the Blue Division (Falangist volunteers) to fight against Russia. Only half of those volunteers returned by 1944.
After the war, the Franco regime faced severe challenges:
- Prince Juan de Borbón of Spain claimed the throne in 1945.
- The struggles of the maquis increased, harassing
Europe’s 16th Century Religious and Economic Transformation
The Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a religious movement that began in the first half of the 16th century. It sparked the division of the Christian church and led to the founding of Protestant churches.
Causes of the Reformation
- Poor training of the lower clergy: The church hierarchy did not prioritize the training of its priests, and many behaved inappropriately.
- Corruption of the higher clergy: Most high-ranking church officials held their positions for personal gain, disrespecting
The Road to World War II: Versailles, the League, and Aggression
The War Guilt Clause (Article 231)
- Germany accepted sole responsibility for World War I. This ignored broader Allied responsibility, despite the later Fischer Thesis (1961) arguing that German militarism had long-term war aims.
- Psychological Humiliation: Germans called the Treaty a “Diktat” (a dictated peace), fueling the Dolchstosslegende (stab-in-the-back myth), which the Nazis used to discredit the Weimar Republic.
- The clause justified £6.6 billion in reparations, equivalent to 2% of Germany’s
Georgian Britain: The Hanoverian Dynasty and Party Politics
Revolution and Georgian Britain (1789-1837)
1. Introduction
This period saw the reign of the House of Hanover, including:
- George I (1714-1727)
- George II (1727-1760)
- George III
- George IV
- William IV
Queen Victoria was the last of the Hanoverian monarchs. This era was marked by a significant loss of monarchical powers, leading to the rise of cabinet governments and Prime Ministers.
The Whigs vs. The Tories
The Whigs
The term Whig is a complex and ambiguous political designation. It was originally applied to those
Read MoreSpain’s Second Republic: The Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1933)
In 1931, after the Republican victory in municipal elections, King Alfonso XIII left the country. His position had become very weak for having supported the dictatorship of Primo de Rivera in 1923. Despite trying to return to normalcy in 1930, he found that not even the monarchists supported him. In 1930, the opposition signed the Pact of San Sebastián with the purpose of establishing a Republic. A Constituent Assembly would be convened to approve a constitution
Read MoreThe Paris Peace Settlement and WWI Military Strategy
The Aftermath of Armistice: The Paris Peace Conference
1919 was the year after the Armistice, marking the end of the First World War. People were thankful that the fighting had stopped, but many in Britain and France now wanted to punish Germany. The leaders of all the countries that had been fighting met in Paris to decide on a peace settlement to formally end the war.
The defeated powers were present but were given very little say in the debates; they were there simply to sign the treaties. Germany
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