(no subject)
While in the bathroom this morning, I read a quote which I thought displayed a very interesting characteristic of 20th century history. At the moment, I was reading a book about Picasso's Guernica. I was near the beginning of the book when the author discusses the spanish civil war, the bombing of Guernica, and its influence on the world. In case some do not know about it, the republicans in spain (leftists, communists, etc.) won the election against the Nationalists(the rich, the church, the army, the conservatives, and the fascists). However, the nationalists do not accept their defeat and decide to rise up and take over Madrid. For help, they call on Mussolini and Hitler who both supply them with planes, tanks, and other equipment. The republicans also call onto the world for some help; however, everybody ignores them, except for the Soviet Union and Mexico. Westerners understood that the republicans deserved to be helped; however, if they did help them, they would be siding with commies against the church. Therefore, they established a moral embargo.
Anyways, in all nations, opinions were divided. On April 26th, 1937, the condor legion (the nazi's) and some useless Italian planes bombed the small town of Guernica. During the next few days, the bias press had changed the story according to what it believed. Stories varied from Germans bombing the town for 3 hours to commies burning it to the ground. (we know that the leftists were right.) In the midst of this newspaper battle came an article in L'Humanité in which there was a statement from the Basque President.
"Before God and before history that will judge us I swear that for three and one-half hours German planes bombed with inconceivable destruction the undefended civil population of Guernica, reducing the celebrated city to cinders. They pursued with machine-gun fire the woman and children who were frantically fleeing. I ask today of the civilized world if it will permit the extermination of a people whose first concerns have always been the defense of its liberty and democracy, which the tree of tree of Guernica has symbolized for centuries?"
Anyways, in all nations, opinions were divided. On April 26th, 1937, the condor legion (the nazi's) and some useless Italian planes bombed the small town of Guernica. During the next few days, the bias press had changed the story according to what it believed. Stories varied from Germans bombing the town for 3 hours to commies burning it to the ground. (we know that the leftists were right.) In the midst of this newspaper battle came an article in L'Humanité in which there was a statement from the Basque President.
"Before God and before history that will judge us I swear that for three and one-half hours German planes bombed with inconceivable destruction the undefended civil population of Guernica, reducing the celebrated city to cinders. They pursued with machine-gun fire the woman and children who were frantically fleeing. I ask today of the civilized world if it will permit the extermination of a people whose first concerns have always been the defense of its liberty and democracy, which the tree of tree of Guernica has symbolized for centuries?"