Guernica by Pablo Picasso Spanish Civil War 1936

Guernica by Pablo Picasso

Spanish Civil War • 1936 -1939 • Republican Loyalist government of Spain vs. the Spanish rebels under the leadership of fascist Francisco Franco, aided by Hitler and Mussolini • Even though FDR got Congress to pass an arms embargo against both sides of the conflict, three thousand Americans defy American neutrality and fight as volunteers for the Loyalists in the Abraham Lincoln Brigade

Appeasement • The poster child for appeasement is Neville Chamberlain. • Appeasement is giving up principles to keep peace with an aggressor. • Signs away the Sudetenland to Hitler in 1938 to keep “peace in our time. ” • Step after step, Hitler was testing the European powers, and as he knew, Chamberlain and Daladier (the leader of France) lacked the backbone to take action against him.

Italy • Led by Benito Mussolini (IL Duce) • Attacks Ethiopia in 1935. • Where is the League of Nations in all this? – Sitting on its hands. – Could’ve stopped Mussolini with an oil embargo, but didn’t want to risk conflict. – Could’ve stopped Hitler early on, but didn’t. – Could’ve taken real action against Japan, but didn’t.

Blitzkrieg (Lightning War) • Hitler’s new style of warfare. • Three phases – Artillery and bombers attack key military points. – Mobilized units such as tanks go in and break defenses and encircle enemy infantry. – Infantry goes in for mop up duty.