US Containment Policy and the Vietnam War Origins
Was Containment the Right Policy?
There was no doubt at all in the USA that communism had to be resisted. Some favored the aggressive policy proposed by MacArthur, that containment was not enough. They wanted the USA to take the fight to the communists and push back the frontiers of communism. Dulles set up a network of anti-communist alliances around the world:
- South-East Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), in 1954
- Central Treaty Organization (CENTO), in 1955
The Soviets felt threatened and accused the
Read MoreWorld War I: A Summary of Causes, Key Events, and Outcomes
Europe on the Brink of War: 1914
In 1914, Europe was the center of political, economic, and cultural development around the world. France, Britain, and Germany were the most advanced nations in Europe. However, competition between them was fierce. Russia, the Balkans, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey were beginning to modernize. Political systems varied: Britain had a strong democracy, while Germany and Austria-Hungary had liberal constitutions but authoritarian systems. In Russia, the Tsar held absolute
Read MoreSpanish Republic 1931-1936: Reforms, Tensions, and the Popular Front
The Second Spanish Republic (1931-1936)
Provisional Government
President Alcalá Zamora was a leading liberal of the Derecha Liberal Republicana. He pushed for military reform, improved the working conditions of laborers, promoted education, and confronted the Church. This period concluded with the approval of the Constitution of 1931.
Reformist Biennium (1931-1933)
This period was characterized by further reforms of the interim period:
- Military Reform (failed)
- Territorial Reform
- Land Reform: The basic
Post-WWI Europe: Treaties, Consequences, and Transformations
The Peace Treaty and the New Map of Europe
The Paris Peace Conference
In January 1918, President Wilson presented his “Fourteen Points” to Congress, aiming to achieve a just peace. These points included:
- Abolition of secret diplomacy
- Free navigation and international trade
- Reduction of armaments
- Recognition of the right to independence of ethnic and linguistic groups within the old empires
- Creation of a League of Nations to guarantee security and territorial integrity, preventing new wars
However, these
Read MoreSpanish and Catalan Economic and Social History: 19th and 20th Centuries
Industrial Economics in the 1980s
The years 1982 to 1986 saw a time of crisis.
- Spain: In the 1980s, the iron and steel industry consolidated in the Basque Country, and the benefits were reversed.
- Catalonia: The textile crisis was suffered in the 1960s. Older than 70, there is a phase of expansion and industrial growth. In the 1980s, textiles also grew.
20th Century Economy
- Spain: Expansion 1900-1907; Crisis 1908-1912, Expansion 1913-1918; Crisis 1919-1923, Expansion 1923-1929, Crisis 1930 onwards.
- Catalonia:
Spanish Civil War: Key Battles and Turning Points
The Spanish Civil War: A Nation Divided
The Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) was a brutal conflict that pitted the Republican government against the Nationalist forces led by General Francisco Franco. The rebels, known as Nationalists, were supported by Italy and Germany. In response, the Non-Intervention Committee was created in London to prevent the intervention of other European powers and maintain world peace. However, this was not respected by either Germany or Italy.