League of Nations, NEP, Five-Year Plan, Treaties, and Russian Revolution
League of Nations (SDN)
The League of Nations was an international organization created by the Treaty of Versailles in June 1919. It aimed to establish the foundations for peace and reorganize international relations after World War I. The Covenant of the League of Nations was drafted in the first sessions of the Paris Peace Conference by President Woodrow Wilson (USA). After World War II, it was dissolved in April 1946 and succeeded by the United Nations (UN).
New Economic Policy (NEP)
The New Economic
Read MoreSpain’s Crisis of 1917-1923: Collapse of Restoration
The Crisis of the Restoration (1917-1923)
During the last years of Alfonso XIII’s reign, the political and social foundations of the Restoration were weakening. The deterioration of the political system (discredited turn-taking parties and growing opposition) and social conflict (increased union activity) became increasingly evident.
The Crisis of 1917
In 1917, a crisis broke out—military, political, and social—that marked the beginning of the end for the Restoration. Its decomposition would ultimately
Read MoreSpain’s Turbulent 19th Century: From Civil War to Republic
Isabella II’s Reign and the Rise of Liberalism
Isabel’s mother, Maria Christina, served as regent and sought the support of the Liberals to secure her daughter’s throne. This alliance ignited a civil war (1833-1840) between the absolutist Carlists and the liberal Isabellines. The Carlists, representing the agrarian nobility, clergy, and peasantry of northeastern Spain, defended the Old Regime. The Isabellines, comprised of the bourgeoisie, peasantry, and urban classes of the center and south of the
Read MoreCatholic Monarchs: Reign, Expansion, and Legacy
The Catholic Monarchs: Reign and Legacy
Succession and War of Castile
Jane, daughter of Henry IV, was the heir to the throne of Castile, but the nobles did not recognize her, considering her illegitimate. They proposed her aunt, Isabella, as heir, and she married Ferdinand of the Crown of Aragon.
When Henry IV died, Isabella was proclaimed queen. Alfonso V, king of Portugal, married Joanna la Beltraneja to claim the Castilian throne. Clashes ensued until the Castilian victory in 1476. Later, the Treaty
Read MoreThe Crisis of 1898 in Spain: Origins and Impact
Introduction
The loss of Spain’s last colonies triggered a major crisis, known as the Crisis of 1898. The idea of “regeneration” of the system emerged as a solution, seeking, among other things, to end the practice of *turnismo* (the alternating of political parties in power).
Cuba’s War
To understand the causes of the war in Cuba, we must first look at the Ten Years’ War (1868-1878). This conflict arose from a clash of interests between the Spanish government and the Cuban Creole bourgeoisie. The
Read MoreFranco’s Dictatorship in Spain: Characteristics and Evolution
Franco’s Dictatorship: Main Features
Franco’s regime was characterized by the concentration of political power in the person of Franco. He was the head of state, leader of the government, of the sole national party (FET y de las JONS), and the maximum military authority. Membership was unquestionably key to the leadership of the newborn political system after the military victory of 1939. All political institutions were created to advise the leader.
Their ideology was a mixture of theoretical principles
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