Alfonso XIII Reign & WWII: Reform, Axis Victories, Nazi Regime

The Conservative Reformist: The Reign of Alfonso XIII

The age of Alfonso XIII began with a crisis caused by the disaster of '98 that led the dynastic parties to initiate a reform program for the regeneration of Spanish political life. The conservative governments of Antonio Maura tried, until 1909, some reforms of finance, local government, and the electoral law, but this attempt was a failure. While Turno parties were losing influence, the opposition grew stronger:

• The Republicans increased their electoral ascendancy with the creation of the European Radical Republican Party.
• The Catalan nationalist groups reached a broad electoral victory, thanks to the Catalan Solidarity.
• Socialism and trade unions (UGT) consolidated their presence in Madrid, the Basque Country, and Asturias.
• The Anarchists continued to split; some advocated terrorist acts, and others founded the National Labor Confederation (CNT).

Liberal Reformism

Since 1910, the Liberals began a reformist experience. José Canalejas tried a strengthening of civilian authority of the State against the influence of the Catholic Church (public education, restriction of religious associations, etc.). He also initiated a decentralization of the state, which resulted in the Commonwealth of Catalonia. The murder of Canalejas by anarchists opened a period of instability that led the Conservatives back into power after 1913.

WWII: Axis Victories

West

Hitler launched blitzkrieg from the use of armored divisions and major air support, this allowed a surprise attack and fast movement. Poland was divided between Germany and the USSR, as agreed in the Nazi-Soviet pact. The German armies overran most of Western Europe, and only Britain was reluctant to surrender to Germany. The German aircraft bombed British cities and ports in the Battle of Britain. Great Britain resisted the attack, and Hitler had to abandon the landing but ordered the freezing of the British Isles-Atlantic battle to prevent the arrival of British supplies.

East

In June 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa and attacked Russia. Japan destroyed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, and America entered the war. The axis Rome-Berlin-Tokyo seemed invincible.

Nazism: Europe Under Nazi Occupation

Europe under Nazi occupation was aimed at the subjugation of the European territories for the benefit of Germany. The Nazis organized the territories into incorporated areas, colonized and satellite states. The Gestapo and the SS introduced a regime of violence and terror on the population. The outbreak of persecution was particularly harsh against the Jews; this was the Holocaust.