Primo de Rivera’s Dictatorship and the Monarchy’s Fall
Primo de Rivera and the Fall of the Monarchy
On September 13, 1923, Primo de Rivera launched a military coup against the constitutional government. His intentions with this coup were to solve the serious problems suffered by Spanish society, to rid the country of the “old politics,” and to destroy despotism. The coup was supported by the business communities, the major national banks, and the Church. Neither Republicans nor Socialists opposed it. Only the Anarchists and Communists were against it.
Read MoreSpain’s Restoration: Events, Constitution, and Political Turmoil
The Tragic Week and Its Aftermath
The events of the Tragic Week unfolded in Barcelona between 26 and 30 July 1909. It started when Antonio Maura called up reservists to fight in Morocco. The result was street protests, a general strike, and the burning down of the city’s religious institutions. Martial law was imposed throughout Spain, and wide-scale arrests and executions followed. There was a protest movement throughout Western Europe. The impact of the First World War (1914-1919) in Spain can
Read More19th-Century Labor Movements: Origins and Ideologies
Key Movements and Organizations
Ned Ludd: Name associated with protests involving the destruction of machinery and raw materials, often used to sign threats or claims of responsibility.
Grand National Consolidated Trades Union: Founded in 1834, it united more than half a million workers, both agricultural and industrial.
Chartism: A mass political movement demanding rights such as universal suffrage.
AIT (First International): Founded at a rally held on September 28, 1864, in London. Exiles played an
Read MoreAmerican and French Revolutions: A Comparative Study
The American Revolution
The creation of the United States of America broke radically with monarchical traditions. The American Revolution began with the revolt of thirteen colonies opposing economic measures like taxes and the lack of representation. Various protests, like the famous Boston Tea Party, led to the intervention of British troops and the beginning of a war between the colonies and the metropolis (1775). On July 4, 1776, thirteen American colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Read MoreKey Moments of World War II: Canada and Beyond
Dieppe Raid
During the Second World War, on August 19, 1942, the Allies launched a major raid on the small French coastal port of Dieppe. Operation Jubilee was the first Canadian Army engagement in the European war, designed to test the Allies’ ability to launch amphibious assaults against Adolf Hitler’s “Fortress Europe.” The raid was a disaster: More than 900 Canadian soldiers were killed, and thousands more were wounded and taken prisoner. Despite the bloodshed, the raid provided valuable lessons
Bolshevik Revolution & Stalin’s USSR: A Deep Dive
The October Revolution and the Rise of the Bolsheviks
Revision of October 2nd: In October 1917, Lenin returned, provoking the October Coup, which marked the Bolsheviks’ seizure of power. Through a military coup, aided by workers, they took the Winter Palace and created the new government’s Council of People’s Commissars. This Bolshevik-led council established the Soviet state and issued several key decrees:
- Decree on Peace: Sought to end Russia’s involvement in World War I.
- Decree on Land: Redistributed