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DieFledermas - UK; Harbinger - France; Diesel - Australia; Aphrochine - USA; Gustave - Germany; Russomatroso - Italy; Jones - Japan; TieDup - Romania; Reap - USSR
This is the BBC World Service.
Thank you for joining us as we look back in our weekly series, “The War Years”.
Tonight we bring you, "1936 - The Calm Before the Storm" We’ve compiled radio broadcasts from the BBC of that year combined with rare transcripts and interviews of the important people of the day.
January 2, 1936 - Manchurian Transfer of Xilinhot
Hong Kong Bureau: Good evening. Reports indicate the city of Xilinhot in northern Manchuria was transferred from direct Japanese control to their client state Manchukuo. There can be little doubt; the Japanese are shifting forces south for something big…
January 4, 1936 - Germany Reoccupies the Rhineland
Paris Bureau: German troops reoccupied the Rhineland today in violation of the Versailles Treaty. Inquiries with the British government indicated the administration agreed with the act in principle. Lord Lothian, "The Germans are after all only going into their own back garden" however he rejected the Nazi manner of accomplishing said act.
January 12, 1936 - Revolution in Paraguay
Belize Bureau: The Revolutionary Febrerista Party in Paraguay assumed power today at the cessation of the Chaco War with Bolivia.
January 19, 1936 - Militarist Coup d'état in Nicaragua
Belize Bureau: In Nicaragua tonight, Anastasio Somoza is widely suspected of engineering the assassination of General Sandino. With Sandino's death, Somoza has effectively taken control of the country in a coup d'état. American involvement has been strongly denied.
January 21, 1936 - King George V Dies
London Bureau: The Times reported this morning that the King passed away late last night after complaining of a cold. The King had bee in ill-health since the trying times of the Great War. His reported last words were “God Damn You!” uttered to his nurse. The Duke of Windsor, Edward VIII will succeed his father, George V as King of England and Ireland, Emperor of India.
February 6, 1936 – Winter Olympics
Paris Bureau: The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were completed tonight in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Norway was the leading nation taking home 7 gold medals.
February 9, 1936 – Second Italo-Abyssinian War Ends
Rome Bureau: The Second Italo-Abyssinian War ended today in bloodshed as Italian troops occupied the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Victor Emmanuel III, has been proclaimed emperor with the merging of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somaliland into a new state known as Italian East Africa.
London Bureau: A telegraph from Mussolini to General Graziani was acquired by elements of His Majesty’s Secret Service and provided to the BBC - "Rome, 8 February 1936. A.S.E. Graziani. I have authorized once again V.E. to begin and systematically conduct a politics of terror and extermination of the rebels and the complicit population. Without the legge taglionis one cannot cure the infection in time. Await confirmation.”
February 16, 1936 - Rightwing coup d'état in Cuba
Belize Bureau: The de Céspedes government in Cuba suffered a rightwing coup d'état lead by General Fulgencio Batista. The leader of the constitutional liberals Ramón Grau San Martín has been installed to replace de Céspedes.
February 17, 1936 - National Front elected in Spain
London Bureau: The National Front has won a sweeping victory in the General Election today in Spain. The current Republican government has stated they will attempt to form a majority government with other leftist parties.
February 28, 1936 – The 226 Incident
Hong Kong Bureau: In what has is being called, the 226 Incident, the Imperial Way Faction launched a right-wing nationalist coup attempt in Japan today. This political wing of the Japanese military may have achieved their goal of establishing a military government. Emperor Hirohito ordered the Japanese army not to harm any of the participating officers and held a midnight audience with the conspirators in the Tokyo government. In the aftermath, pro-democratic militarist Keisuke Okada stepped down as Prime Minister of Japan and has been replaced by radical militarist Koki Hirota.
March 21, 1936 – Pact of Steel formalizes the Axis Powers
Rome Bureau: The Pact of Steel, known formally as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany, Italy, and Romania was signed by the foreign ministers of each country in Bucharest, Count Galeazzo Ciano for Italy, Constantin von Neurath for Germany, and King Michael I for Romania. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin expressed little concern over Continental Affairs. Former Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill issued a strong statement condemning “The Gathering of Vile Tyrants and Blackened Hearts.”
March 30, 1936 - Xi'an Incident
Hong Kong Bureau: Rogue elements of the Kantogun (Japan's Army in Manchuria) attempted to assassinate Manchurian warlord Zhang Xueliang in the city of Xi’an this evening. Zhang has since issued a statement swearing loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek. Sinkiang, Xibei San Ma, Shanxi, Guangxi Clique and Yunnan have all entered a formal military alliance with the government in Nanking. In the aftermath, Mao Zedong has declared an armistice in his struggle against the Nationalists in the hopes of forming a Unified Front against the Japanese.
April 10, 1936 - Rightwing coup d'état in Greece
Athens Bureau: General Ioannis Metaxas established the 4th of August Regime in Greece. With the endorsement of King George II, Metaxas has declared a state of emergency, decreed martial law, annulled various articles of the Constitution and established a crisis cabinet to put to an end the growing riots and to restore social order. "I have decided to hold all the power I need for saving Greece from the catastrophes which threaten her". PM Stanley Baldwin of has stated the British Empire has little concern over the internal affairs of Greece.
June 13, 1936 – Socialists win French Elections
Paris Bureau: The French have spoken with a resounding voice and elected the Socialist Party to power. Many experts have pointed to the current government’s failure to enforce the Versailles Treaty earlier this year when Germany re-occupied the Rhineland as the main reason for their defeat. Yesterday, the Socialists also won victories in Czechoslovakian elections with the sole exception being the heavily German Sudetenland where the Conservative Democratic Party won the most of the local elections.
June 20, 1936 – Summer Government in Sweden
Stockholm Bureau: In Sweden today, the ruling Social Democrats turned over power to the Agrarian Centrist Party for the summer as a political gift for the AGP’s assistance in the past and future promises of cooperation. In this unprecedented move, it must be said Sweden has shown a truly progressive attitude in stark contrast to the darkening world around them.
July 23, 1936 – Civil War in Spain!
Spanish War Journal as reported by John Stanton, BBC
SWJ: I’m aboard the HMS Warspite off the coast of Bilbao. The phrase "Over all of Spain, the sky is clear" was broadcast on Radio Madrid last night signaling the start of the rebellion. The Nationalists have taken most of the northwest and southern areas of Spain. General Francisco Franco has seized the Balearic and Canary Islands. It has been reported the Republicans are receiving weapons and volunteers from the Soviet Union, France, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the international Communist movement and the International Brigades are reported to be active in giving support. The Nationalists are receiving weapons and soldiers from Italy and Germany, as well as logistical support from Portugal, and the support of various Fascist organizations such as the Blueshirts and Croix de Feu.
August 1, 1936 – Summer Olympics
Paris Bureau: The Summer Olympics open in Berlin, Germany today. A live television broadcast of the event marked a first in world history. Controversially, the broadcast was heralded by the German government as a testament to Aryan superiority.
August 2, 1936 - Salamanca
SWJ: The Nationalists won a battle against Republicans in Salamanca last night opening up the supply route from Portugal. Heinkel He 111 bombers on loan from the Luftwaffe were reported to have played a significant role in routing the Republican defenders.
August 3, 1936 - Democratic coup d'état in Bolivia
Belize Bureau: Bolivia's defeat by Paraguay in the Chaco War marked a turning point in this South American nation. The workers staged a coup of the de facto feudal government in La Paz today toppling the military dictatorship.
Paris Bureau: Black American athlete Jesse Owens won the 100 meter dash at the Berlin Olympics much to the disappointment of the German hosts.
August 8, 1936 - Castellón
SWJ: From the deck of the light cruiser HMS Ajax, I can see the fires from the coastal villas of Castellón. Nationalist forces under General Franco have routed the Republican troops and driven them into the sea. The Royal Navy is currently engaged in a major rescue operation of these troops. Several Me 109s in the area were driven off by aircraft from the HMS Illustrious. It has been reported both the German and British pilots have been ordered not to engage each other directly, although tensions are high…
August 17, 1936 - Castellón
SWJ: I’m with the Thirteenth Infantry Battalion, affectionately known as the Conquistadors, in Castellón. The Spaniards defeated the Fascists here ending the two week occupation. The mood here is jovial after reports València was captured by the volunteer French forces two days ago in a battle against their ex-patriot countrymen, the Croix de Feu.
August 19, 1936 – Moscow Trials
Stockholm Bureau: The trial of 16 members of the so-called "Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist Centre" got underway today in Moscow, Russia. The chief defendants are Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, prominent former party leaders now accused by Stalin of treason. If they are found guilty, it is widely speculated they will be executed.
August 25, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Communist China refused to give in to Nationalist China's territorial demands signally what may be a cooling of the armistice signed after the Xi'an Incident. This was the second demand by Chiang this month.
.
September 13, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Communist China refused for a third straight month to give in to Nationalist China's territorial demands. In an exclusive interview with BBC Reporter Miles Blackstone, Mao Zedong is reported to have commented, "Chiang has the tact of rusty scythe."
September 24, 1936 – Battle of Madrid
SWJ: The Conquistadors along with Republican mechanized elements re-captured Madrid this evening after a 72-hour siege of the beleaguered capital. General Franco and the surviving forces have fled west into the disputed Salamanca region.
September 25, 1936 - Salamanca
SWJ: Two months after the region fell to the Nationalists; Republican forces have retaken Saragossa and captured 20,000 prisoners cut-off after the fall of Madrid. Franco is reported to have relocated his headquarters from Madrid to somewhere in the northwestern mountains.
September 29, 1936 - End of the Summer Government
Stockholm Bureau: The Agrarian Centrist Party in Sweden peacefully returned power to the Social Democrats. Offers by the government to negotiate a truce in the Spanish Civil War under the auspice of the League of Nations were met with rebuffs by both sides.
October 12, 1936 - Seville
SWJ: Republican Spain won a battle against Nationalist Spain in Seville closing the southern theatre. 25,000 prisoners were captured although several Fascist divisions are believed to have been evacuated by Italian ships to Spanish Morocco. French volunteers played a significant role the battle. I was surprised to encounter a Yank among them.
Stanton, “So how did you end up with the French Volunteers?”
Rick Blaine, “I was living in Paris before the War with a dame I met there. Joining up seemed like the right thing to do.”
October 18, 1936 – Gulf of Cadiz
SWJ: A battle of the skies above the Gulf of Cadiz saw the first action between British and German volunteers. Red Squadron - or the “Tommy Boys” as they like to be called - engaged elements of the Condor Legion while covering an aborted amphibious landing by Moroccan colonial troops. While the Hawker Hurricane proved a formidable warplane, British pilots reported the Me 109 had superior speed, especially when diving. Hopefully the new fighter spotted over Liverpool this summer will prove more of a match for the Gerry’s vaunted Messerschmitt.
October 26, 1936 - Barcelona
SWJ: Republican Spain won the battle of Barcelona tonight. Several dozen German aircraft were captured when the airfield was overrun by Republican forces. No German personnel were among the prisoners, however. In a related report, Aircraft from the HMS Illustrious reported sighting a German u-boat off the coast. With the closing of the Mediterranean Front, this rout has been hailed as a turning point in the war, possibly the point of no return for the Fascist rebels.
October 28, 1936 – US Presidential Race
New York Bureau: US President Franklin Roosevelt rededicated the Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary today in a whirlwind tour of the northeast of the United States. Polls indicate his once overwhelming lead over his Republican challenger, Alf Landon has been slipping. In other news, although officially neutral, US volunteers of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade set sail from New York Harbor for Spain today.
Hong Kong Bureau: Unbelievably, Chiang Kai-shek has sent his second envoy in the month of October to Communist forces in the central mountains of China. Mao Zedong has officially ended diplomatic relations with Nanking.
November 3, 1936 – United States Presidential Election
In a surprise upset, Republican presidential candidate, Alf Landon narrowly defeated incumbent Franklin Roosevelt. Landon campaigned on a strict isolationist, “America First” platform. As his first official order of business, Landon promised to remove US restrictions on trade with Japan and “open the floodgates for oil shipments.”
November 28, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Chiang continued to send emissaries to Communist China with territorial demands. The officials sent to Mao have not returned and unconfirmed reports indicate they may be deceased.
November 26, 1936 – Anti-Comintern Pact Signed
Paris Bureau: In case of an attack by the Soviet Union against Germany or Japan, the two countries have agreed today to consult on what measures to take "to safeguard their common interests". They also agreed that neither of them would make any political treaties with the Soviet Union. Italy and Romania were also present at the proceedings. In related news, Germany recognized the Japanese puppet-state of Manchukuo.
November 29, 1936 - Burgos
SWJ: The Conquistadors participated today in liberating the key region of Burgos from Nationalist forces this afternoon. What remains of the Nationalist forces are now confined to the tough mountainous regions in the northwest. Germany and Italy are both reported to have withdrawn their volunteer forces.
November 30, 1936 – Crystal Palace Destroyed
London Bureau: The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire last night. The fire could be seen for miles with the night sky reportedly “lit up by the flames”. This historical London landmark had been built for the 1851 Great Exhibition.
December 12, 1936 – Edward VIII Abdicates
London Bureau: The Empire was shaken to its core today when King Edward VIII signed the instrument of abdication at Fort Belvedere in the presence of his three brothers, The Duke of York, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent. Parliament immediately passed His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 on behalf of the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Shortly thereafter, the King performed his last act as sovereign by giving royal assent to the Act Prince Albert, Duke of York. Albert is now King, ruling as King George VI. King Edward VIII, now HRH Prince Edward, will make a broadcast to the nation tonight explaining his decision to abdicate. He plans leaves the country for Austria. In the wake of this crisis, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin has announced his retirement and will be succeeded by Armaments Minister Neville Chamberlain.
Belfast Bureau: In related news, the Irish Free State passed the External Relations Act to legislate for Edward VIII's abdication in that realm.
December 19, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: After Chiang sent yet two more diplomatic missions to Mao demanding Communist China cede sovereignty to the Nationalists, two of his generals, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng have reportedly kidnapped Chiang in order to force him to stop harassing the communists. Sources within MI-6’s Asian Office have suggested Chiang Kai-shek may be an opium addict.
December 30, 1936 – Churchill Speaks
Winston Churchill gave a thunderous New Years Eve speech several hours ago condemning the current government for its laissez-faire attitude towards the growing Fascist threats in Europe and Asia. Although the new PM Chamberlain dismissed “the ramblings of an old drunkard” out of hand, His Majesty George VI suggested the two meet to discuss Churchill’s concerns. Only time will tell what this means for the Commonwealth and the World.
DieFledermas - UK; Harbinger - France; Diesel - Australia; Aphrochine - USA; Gustave - Germany; Russomatroso - Italy; Jones - Japan; TieDup - Romania; Reap - USSR
This is the BBC World Service.
Thank you for joining us as we look back in our weekly series, “The War Years”.
Tonight we bring you, "1936 - The Calm Before the Storm" We’ve compiled radio broadcasts from the BBC of that year combined with rare transcripts and interviews of the important people of the day.
January 2, 1936 - Manchurian Transfer of Xilinhot
Hong Kong Bureau: Good evening. Reports indicate the city of Xilinhot in northern Manchuria was transferred from direct Japanese control to their client state Manchukuo. There can be little doubt; the Japanese are shifting forces south for something big…
January 4, 1936 - Germany Reoccupies the Rhineland
Paris Bureau: German troops reoccupied the Rhineland today in violation of the Versailles Treaty. Inquiries with the British government indicated the administration agreed with the act in principle. Lord Lothian, "The Germans are after all only going into their own back garden" however he rejected the Nazi manner of accomplishing said act.
January 12, 1936 - Revolution in Paraguay
Belize Bureau: The Revolutionary Febrerista Party in Paraguay assumed power today at the cessation of the Chaco War with Bolivia.
January 19, 1936 - Militarist Coup d'état in Nicaragua
Belize Bureau: In Nicaragua tonight, Anastasio Somoza is widely suspected of engineering the assassination of General Sandino. With Sandino's death, Somoza has effectively taken control of the country in a coup d'état. American involvement has been strongly denied.
January 21, 1936 - King George V Dies
London Bureau: The Times reported this morning that the King passed away late last night after complaining of a cold. The King had bee in ill-health since the trying times of the Great War. His reported last words were “God Damn You!” uttered to his nurse. The Duke of Windsor, Edward VIII will succeed his father, George V as King of England and Ireland, Emperor of India.
February 6, 1936 – Winter Olympics
Paris Bureau: The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were completed tonight in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Norway was the leading nation taking home 7 gold medals.
February 9, 1936 – Second Italo-Abyssinian War Ends
Rome Bureau: The Second Italo-Abyssinian War ended today in bloodshed as Italian troops occupied the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Victor Emmanuel III, has been proclaimed emperor with the merging of Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somaliland into a new state known as Italian East Africa.
London Bureau: A telegraph from Mussolini to General Graziani was acquired by elements of His Majesty’s Secret Service and provided to the BBC - "Rome, 8 February 1936. A.S.E. Graziani. I have authorized once again V.E. to begin and systematically conduct a politics of terror and extermination of the rebels and the complicit population. Without the legge taglionis one cannot cure the infection in time. Await confirmation.”
February 16, 1936 - Rightwing coup d'état in Cuba
Belize Bureau: The de Céspedes government in Cuba suffered a rightwing coup d'état lead by General Fulgencio Batista. The leader of the constitutional liberals Ramón Grau San Martín has been installed to replace de Céspedes.
February 17, 1936 - National Front elected in Spain
London Bureau: The National Front has won a sweeping victory in the General Election today in Spain. The current Republican government has stated they will attempt to form a majority government with other leftist parties.
February 28, 1936 – The 226 Incident
Hong Kong Bureau: In what has is being called, the 226 Incident, the Imperial Way Faction launched a right-wing nationalist coup attempt in Japan today. This political wing of the Japanese military may have achieved their goal of establishing a military government. Emperor Hirohito ordered the Japanese army not to harm any of the participating officers and held a midnight audience with the conspirators in the Tokyo government. In the aftermath, pro-democratic militarist Keisuke Okada stepped down as Prime Minister of Japan and has been replaced by radical militarist Koki Hirota.
March 21, 1936 – Pact of Steel formalizes the Axis Powers
Rome Bureau: The Pact of Steel, known formally as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany, Italy, and Romania was signed by the foreign ministers of each country in Bucharest, Count Galeazzo Ciano for Italy, Constantin von Neurath for Germany, and King Michael I for Romania. Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin expressed little concern over Continental Affairs. Former Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill issued a strong statement condemning “The Gathering of Vile Tyrants and Blackened Hearts.”
March 30, 1936 - Xi'an Incident
Hong Kong Bureau: Rogue elements of the Kantogun (Japan's Army in Manchuria) attempted to assassinate Manchurian warlord Zhang Xueliang in the city of Xi’an this evening. Zhang has since issued a statement swearing loyalty to Chiang Kai-shek. Sinkiang, Xibei San Ma, Shanxi, Guangxi Clique and Yunnan have all entered a formal military alliance with the government in Nanking. In the aftermath, Mao Zedong has declared an armistice in his struggle against the Nationalists in the hopes of forming a Unified Front against the Japanese.
April 10, 1936 - Rightwing coup d'état in Greece
Athens Bureau: General Ioannis Metaxas established the 4th of August Regime in Greece. With the endorsement of King George II, Metaxas has declared a state of emergency, decreed martial law, annulled various articles of the Constitution and established a crisis cabinet to put to an end the growing riots and to restore social order. "I have decided to hold all the power I need for saving Greece from the catastrophes which threaten her". PM Stanley Baldwin of has stated the British Empire has little concern over the internal affairs of Greece.
June 13, 1936 – Socialists win French Elections
Paris Bureau: The French have spoken with a resounding voice and elected the Socialist Party to power. Many experts have pointed to the current government’s failure to enforce the Versailles Treaty earlier this year when Germany re-occupied the Rhineland as the main reason for their defeat. Yesterday, the Socialists also won victories in Czechoslovakian elections with the sole exception being the heavily German Sudetenland where the Conservative Democratic Party won the most of the local elections.
June 20, 1936 – Summer Government in Sweden
Stockholm Bureau: In Sweden today, the ruling Social Democrats turned over power to the Agrarian Centrist Party for the summer as a political gift for the AGP’s assistance in the past and future promises of cooperation. In this unprecedented move, it must be said Sweden has shown a truly progressive attitude in stark contrast to the darkening world around them.
July 23, 1936 – Civil War in Spain!
Spanish War Journal as reported by John Stanton, BBC
SWJ: I’m aboard the HMS Warspite off the coast of Bilbao. The phrase "Over all of Spain, the sky is clear" was broadcast on Radio Madrid last night signaling the start of the rebellion. The Nationalists have taken most of the northwest and southern areas of Spain. General Francisco Franco has seized the Balearic and Canary Islands. It has been reported the Republicans are receiving weapons and volunteers from the Soviet Union, France, and the United Kingdom. In addition, the international Communist movement and the International Brigades are reported to be active in giving support. The Nationalists are receiving weapons and soldiers from Italy and Germany, as well as logistical support from Portugal, and the support of various Fascist organizations such as the Blueshirts and Croix de Feu.
August 1, 1936 – Summer Olympics
Paris Bureau: The Summer Olympics open in Berlin, Germany today. A live television broadcast of the event marked a first in world history. Controversially, the broadcast was heralded by the German government as a testament to Aryan superiority.
August 2, 1936 - Salamanca
SWJ: The Nationalists won a battle against Republicans in Salamanca last night opening up the supply route from Portugal. Heinkel He 111 bombers on loan from the Luftwaffe were reported to have played a significant role in routing the Republican defenders.
August 3, 1936 - Democratic coup d'état in Bolivia
Belize Bureau: Bolivia's defeat by Paraguay in the Chaco War marked a turning point in this South American nation. The workers staged a coup of the de facto feudal government in La Paz today toppling the military dictatorship.
Paris Bureau: Black American athlete Jesse Owens won the 100 meter dash at the Berlin Olympics much to the disappointment of the German hosts.
August 8, 1936 - Castellón
SWJ: From the deck of the light cruiser HMS Ajax, I can see the fires from the coastal villas of Castellón. Nationalist forces under General Franco have routed the Republican troops and driven them into the sea. The Royal Navy is currently engaged in a major rescue operation of these troops. Several Me 109s in the area were driven off by aircraft from the HMS Illustrious. It has been reported both the German and British pilots have been ordered not to engage each other directly, although tensions are high…
August 17, 1936 - Castellón
SWJ: I’m with the Thirteenth Infantry Battalion, affectionately known as the Conquistadors, in Castellón. The Spaniards defeated the Fascists here ending the two week occupation. The mood here is jovial after reports València was captured by the volunteer French forces two days ago in a battle against their ex-patriot countrymen, the Croix de Feu.
August 19, 1936 – Moscow Trials
Stockholm Bureau: The trial of 16 members of the so-called "Trotskyite-Zinovievite Terrorist Centre" got underway today in Moscow, Russia. The chief defendants are Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev, prominent former party leaders now accused by Stalin of treason. If they are found guilty, it is widely speculated they will be executed.
August 25, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Communist China refused to give in to Nationalist China's territorial demands signally what may be a cooling of the armistice signed after the Xi'an Incident. This was the second demand by Chiang this month.
.
September 13, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Communist China refused for a third straight month to give in to Nationalist China's territorial demands. In an exclusive interview with BBC Reporter Miles Blackstone, Mao Zedong is reported to have commented, "Chiang has the tact of rusty scythe."
September 24, 1936 – Battle of Madrid
SWJ: The Conquistadors along with Republican mechanized elements re-captured Madrid this evening after a 72-hour siege of the beleaguered capital. General Franco and the surviving forces have fled west into the disputed Salamanca region.
September 25, 1936 - Salamanca
SWJ: Two months after the region fell to the Nationalists; Republican forces have retaken Saragossa and captured 20,000 prisoners cut-off after the fall of Madrid. Franco is reported to have relocated his headquarters from Madrid to somewhere in the northwestern mountains.
September 29, 1936 - End of the Summer Government
Stockholm Bureau: The Agrarian Centrist Party in Sweden peacefully returned power to the Social Democrats. Offers by the government to negotiate a truce in the Spanish Civil War under the auspice of the League of Nations were met with rebuffs by both sides.
October 12, 1936 - Seville
SWJ: Republican Spain won a battle against Nationalist Spain in Seville closing the southern theatre. 25,000 prisoners were captured although several Fascist divisions are believed to have been evacuated by Italian ships to Spanish Morocco. French volunteers played a significant role the battle. I was surprised to encounter a Yank among them.
Stanton, “So how did you end up with the French Volunteers?”
Rick Blaine, “I was living in Paris before the War with a dame I met there. Joining up seemed like the right thing to do.”
October 18, 1936 – Gulf of Cadiz
SWJ: A battle of the skies above the Gulf of Cadiz saw the first action between British and German volunteers. Red Squadron - or the “Tommy Boys” as they like to be called - engaged elements of the Condor Legion while covering an aborted amphibious landing by Moroccan colonial troops. While the Hawker Hurricane proved a formidable warplane, British pilots reported the Me 109 had superior speed, especially when diving. Hopefully the new fighter spotted over Liverpool this summer will prove more of a match for the Gerry’s vaunted Messerschmitt.
October 26, 1936 - Barcelona
SWJ: Republican Spain won the battle of Barcelona tonight. Several dozen German aircraft were captured when the airfield was overrun by Republican forces. No German personnel were among the prisoners, however. In a related report, Aircraft from the HMS Illustrious reported sighting a German u-boat off the coast. With the closing of the Mediterranean Front, this rout has been hailed as a turning point in the war, possibly the point of no return for the Fascist rebels.
October 28, 1936 – US Presidential Race
New York Bureau: US President Franklin Roosevelt rededicated the Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary today in a whirlwind tour of the northeast of the United States. Polls indicate his once overwhelming lead over his Republican challenger, Alf Landon has been slipping. In other news, although officially neutral, US volunteers of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade set sail from New York Harbor for Spain today.
Hong Kong Bureau: Unbelievably, Chiang Kai-shek has sent his second envoy in the month of October to Communist forces in the central mountains of China. Mao Zedong has officially ended diplomatic relations with Nanking.
November 3, 1936 – United States Presidential Election
In a surprise upset, Republican presidential candidate, Alf Landon narrowly defeated incumbent Franklin Roosevelt. Landon campaigned on a strict isolationist, “America First” platform. As his first official order of business, Landon promised to remove US restrictions on trade with Japan and “open the floodgates for oil shipments.”
November 28, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: Chiang continued to send emissaries to Communist China with territorial demands. The officials sent to Mao have not returned and unconfirmed reports indicate they may be deceased.
November 26, 1936 – Anti-Comintern Pact Signed
Paris Bureau: In case of an attack by the Soviet Union against Germany or Japan, the two countries have agreed today to consult on what measures to take "to safeguard their common interests". They also agreed that neither of them would make any political treaties with the Soviet Union. Italy and Romania were also present at the proceedings. In related news, Germany recognized the Japanese puppet-state of Manchukuo.
November 29, 1936 - Burgos
SWJ: The Conquistadors participated today in liberating the key region of Burgos from Nationalist forces this afternoon. What remains of the Nationalist forces are now confined to the tough mountainous regions in the northwest. Germany and Italy are both reported to have withdrawn their volunteer forces.
November 30, 1936 – Crystal Palace Destroyed
London Bureau: The Crystal Palace was destroyed by fire last night. The fire could be seen for miles with the night sky reportedly “lit up by the flames”. This historical London landmark had been built for the 1851 Great Exhibition.
December 12, 1936 – Edward VIII Abdicates
London Bureau: The Empire was shaken to its core today when King Edward VIII signed the instrument of abdication at Fort Belvedere in the presence of his three brothers, The Duke of York, The Duke of Gloucester and The Duke of Kent. Parliament immediately passed His Majesty's Declaration of Abdication Act 1936 on behalf of the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Shortly thereafter, the King performed his last act as sovereign by giving royal assent to the Act Prince Albert, Duke of York. Albert is now King, ruling as King George VI. King Edward VIII, now HRH Prince Edward, will make a broadcast to the nation tonight explaining his decision to abdicate. He plans leaves the country for Austria. In the wake of this crisis, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin has announced his retirement and will be succeeded by Armaments Minister Neville Chamberlain.
Belfast Bureau: In related news, the Irish Free State passed the External Relations Act to legislate for Edward VIII's abdication in that realm.
December 19, 1936 - China
Hong Kong Bureau: After Chiang sent yet two more diplomatic missions to Mao demanding Communist China cede sovereignty to the Nationalists, two of his generals, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng have reportedly kidnapped Chiang in order to force him to stop harassing the communists. Sources within MI-6’s Asian Office have suggested Chiang Kai-shek may be an opium addict.
December 30, 1936 – Churchill Speaks
Winston Churchill gave a thunderous New Years Eve speech several hours ago condemning the current government for its laissez-faire attitude towards the growing Fascist threats in Europe and Asia. Although the new PM Chamberlain dismissed “the ramblings of an old drunkard” out of hand, His Majesty George VI suggested the two meet to discuss Churchill’s concerns. Only time will tell what this means for the Commonwealth and the World.