The document summarizes key events in European history from World War I through the Cold War era. It describes the two sides in World Wars I and II, how the US and USSR emerged as superpowers after WWII and the tensions of the Cold War without direct military conflict. It also provides an overview of the political developments in Spain from the early 20th century through the dictatorship of Franco and transition to democracy.

1. UNIT 4

3.  World War I began on July 28, 1914. The
conflict lasted four years.
 The war began because of the assassination of
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria.
 There were two sides in the war. The Allies were
Britain, France, Ireland and Russia. The Central
Powers were Germany and Austria-Hungary.
 America joined World War I in 1917.
Allies Central Powers
Britain
France
Russia
Germany
Austria-Hungary
Unbelievable
Facts

4.  World War II began in 1939, in Poland and finished
in 1945.
 The war lasted six years and one day.
 The war began when Hitler (Germany) invaded
Poland.
 World War II had two sides: The Axis and the Allies.
 Adolf Hitler was the leader of Nazi Germany.
Millions of people were exterminated
Allies The Axis
Great Britain
France
The Soviet Union
USA (1941)
Germany
Italy
Japan
Unbelievable
facts

5.  After World War II the United States (USA)
and the Soviet Union (USSR) were the
superpowers of the world.
 The USA was a capitalist democracy and the
USSR followed totalitarian comunism.
 The Cold War was a conflict between them.
 It was called Cold War because they didn`t
attack each other directly. This was because they
had nuclear weapons.
 In 1961 the Soviets divided the city of Berlin with
a wall

7.  In 1902 Alfonso XIII was the king.
 During his reign, different governments wanted to
modernise Spain and create a liberal democracy.
This period is called regenerationism.
 The reforms failed and there were a political
crisis in 1917.
 At the same time, Spain was involved in a war with
Morocco (1909)

8.  General Primo de Rivera led a coup in 1923, he was
supported by Alfonso XIII.
 The Constitution of 1876 was replaced with a
military dictatorship. Primo de Rivera was the
dictator until 1930.
 Primo de Rivera tried to create a system in Spain
similar to Italian fascism, but it wasn`t possible.
Primo de Rivera renounced.
 Alfonso XIII tried to return to the democratic
system but he had lost the support of the
politicians and the people.

9.  In 1931, the Republicans won the municipal
elections.
 The king abdicated and the Second Republic
was established.
 The new government began important reforms:
- They took lands from the landowners and
distributed them among the peasants. They
improved working conditions and promoted
primary education.
- They removed the Church`s political influence
and recognised the autonomy of Cataluña, Pais
Vasco and Galicia.
 These reforms created political tension.

10.  In 1936, General Franco led an armed coup
against the Second Republic. The Spanish Civil
War began.
 There were two sides:
 The Nationalists won the war in 1939
The Republican Army The Nationalist Army
-Left-wing working class
-Farm labourers
-Governments of Pais
Vasco and Cataluña
-Right-wing sectors.
-Upper classes
- Landowners
-The Church
The URSS helped the
Republicans
Hitler`s Nazi Germany and
fascist Italy supported
Nationalist

11.  After the war, Franco imposed a military
dictatorship.
 The first decades of Franco`s dictatorship were
years of famine and economic difficulties. Many
people were persecuted, imprisoned and executed.
 During 1950s, many people emigrated to other
European countries.
 The 1960s were a time of economic recovery.
 Franco died in 1975 and Juan Carlos became the
king of Spain.
 Spain experienced a transition from a
dictatorship to a democracy.