April 1937 June 1937
Buenos Aires News
April 8th
BRAZILIAN POLICE STATE
The new government of Brazil has begun a major crackdown against the elements whos interests run counter to the interests of the people of Brazil. Most rich shop owners and factory owners have been forced out of their businesses and have fled the cities. There have been instances of riots in the streets in which the people attacked members of the upper class and destroyed their houses and businesses.
In the countryside the crackdown is much more systematic than in the cities. The Brazilian army has attacked and taken over a number of large plantations throughout the country, but ran into trouble in some of the south western and north western parts of the country where large concentrations of plantation owners put up a resilient defense of their holdings.
Some regions still remain outside of this crackdown, and some have managed to defend themselves for now, but it is doubtful that any resistance, no matter how organized, will be able to stand up to the Brazilian army without outside help.
In the recent weeks more and more Brazilian emigrants have arrived in Argentina and a strong expatriate community has already formed around a number of Brazilian opposition leaders who call for armed resistance against the Brazilian government and ask the government of Argentina to interfere on the behalf of Brazilian citizens targeted in the crackdown.
Hong Kong Times
April 15th
JAPANESE OCCUPATION OF VIETNAM SPILLS OVER INTO SIAM
The Japanese takeover of French Indochina did not solve any of the problems the region has had for years. The resistance that the French have met with their occupation only intensified as the Japanese arrived with the resistance leaders hoping to quickly drive out the newcomers.
In response a major force of the Imperial Japanese Army was moved to Indochina and the resistance has been relentlessly perused in the last months. The casualties on both sides have been light so far, but fire fights occur with daunting regularity.
In recent weeks the Japanese army has crossed the border into Siam, prompting Siamese protests. The Japanese claim that a number of guerilla fighters are taking cover in Siam and the raids are meant to simply eliminate them. Siam demanded that in the future all of the Japanese raids be coordinated with them.
Milan Journal
April 19th
VIOLENCE IN AUSTRIA
Protests in Austria turned violent as the pro-monarchist camp clashed yesterday with the pro-German camp, leaving at least two dozen people dead in Vienna. The violence is expected to continue.
The government and a small faction dominated by pro-democracy independent groups called for calm and restraint, but was not able to do anything to stop the bloodshed. Most functions of the government have come to a halt as violence and tensions between the rival groups paralyze the country.
At the same time the government of neighboring Hungary seemed eager to re-affirm its policy of non-interference in Austrian affairs as it extended a guarantee of independence to the country, stressing that it will use all means necessary to keep Austria independent.
Moscow News
April 27th
VICTORY IN SINKIANG
With the support of Chinese forces the Russian army has won a decisive victory in Sinkiang. While the rebel troops concentrated over the last weeks on defending against the push into their territory from Chinese Mongolia, a number of Russian tank divisions moved into the region. While geography proved to be a nuisance and the lack of infrastructure prevented the tanks from being as effective as they could be, the element of surprise outweighed these obstacles. In two decisive battles the Russians routed the rebel groups and the Chinese were able to advance on the whole front, crushing the rest of the rebel forces.
Russian advisors are now set to travel to China to aid this friendly nation in building its military to become competitive on the world stage. There is also information that American advisors will join the Russians in making sure that the Chinese army will be trained in the tactics of both nations, providing the most variability and adaptability possible.
Berlin Gazette
May 1st
ASSASINATION OF SIKORSKY
Last week in Poland the leader of the coup against the government, Wladislaw Sikorsky, has been assassinated by an unknown gunmen. The developments that followed have been most unexpected for most people involved.
As per the agreement signed last month between Germany and the Entante, German forces withdrew from Poland over the last week and Russian forces ended their offensive, instead continuing to hold the positions they have occupied previously.
But these developments have failed to help the situation in Poland proper. Given the assassination of most members of the Sejm by the Sikorsky government there was no one to take direct control of the anti-Sikorsky forces until former President Rataj organized these forces in the north west part of the country with the aid of the withdrawing German forces.
The pro-Sikorsky forces, on the other hand, remained quite organized, mostly because they are composed primarily of military forces, and the assassination of Sikorsky himself did not shake the troops. The Command passed to the generals who conspired with Sikorsky to overthrow the government, and they continued the fight against the democratic forces.
The army continues to hold Warsaw and Krakow as well as the areas around the Russian front where most of the military units were stationed while the democratic forces are concentrated in the north west of the country, and the outcome of this conflict is still anything but clear.
London Times
May 7th
ROOSEVELT POLLS HIT A NEW LOW
American President Roosevelt is facing more and more criticism at home for his military programs. With the memories of the Great War still fresh in most peoples minds, and the shadow of the Great Depression still over the country the move to interventionism and pro-military policies has been ill-received in the country.
The American army has more than doubled in size in the first three months of Roosevelts presidency and most people are calling for an end to the increases. To make matters worse, American involvement in China and aid to the Chinese government is unpopular at home and people are weary of being dragged into another war across the globe.
While Roosevelt has not been the only person supporting these initiatives he has been the most public about it, holding numerous press conferences and using radio to attempt and convince people to support the militarization. The resulting backslash has not only hurt him in the polls, but also solidified the peoples image of Roosevelt as the man behind the interventionist and militaristic policies of the country.
Paris News
May 18th
WAR IN EUROPE
While some people have argued that the conflict in Poland is not a full out war, and simply an internal struggle for power that has drawn outside powers to intervene, there will be few people who doubt the reality of the war that begun earlier in the week. Four days ago at least three columns of Czech forces crossed the border into Austria and begun a major offensive, pushing the unprepared Austrian army back towards Vienna.
The Czech tank divisions have led the assault very successfully, forcing the Austrian troops to retreat more than once, and have cleared the way for the Czech infantry to occupy most of north east Austria within days. The Austrian army has regrouped around Vienna and is preparing to stop the Czech advance.
The international community has been quick in condemning the Czech actions as unjustifiable. The most vocal criticism has come from Germany and Hungary and yesterday the government of Hungary has announced that Hungary will honor its earlier guarantee of independence of Austria and will intervene in the conflict on the side of Austria. There have been so far no statements from the German side other than a condemnation of the attack.
Tokyo Journal
May 20th
CHINA ABANDONS FREE TRADE
Following the experiment with free trade earlier this year the Chinese government has retreated from the policy of free trade and has begun to provide subsidies to the Chinese industry. The few international companies that have moved to China in the few months of a free trade regime have voiced their protest at such a sudden change of policy, but seeing no further sign of change retreated from China.
This move ends the dangerous situation in China in which the industrialist and mercantile classes were pitched against the government that advocated a free trade regime. In the new turn of events the government has solidified its power over the coastal provinces with the help of the industrial and mercantile elite, and is expected to extend its control further inland.
There it will face a very difficult objective of overcoming local warlords and bureaucrats who have, for the past two decades, been allowed to run the local administration as they wish, as long as they remained loyal to the central government. Corruption is rampant in these provinces and state control is non-existent. An armed conflict appears to be imminent as it is most unlikely that the warlords will give up the power they have to the central government
Rome News
May 29th
CIVIL WAR IN SPAIN
Spain has been hanging in the balance for a number of years with a most unstable government in place. The coalition of democratic, socialist, and communist forces banded together to counter the threat from the nationalists who threatened to take power. The deadlock lasted for about a year until the nationalist movement decided to act.
On May 25th the nationalist elements within the army and the secret service arrested the leading members of the left-wing coalition and announced the takeover of the government. Not all went according to plan, however, because just as half of the country wanted the nationalist in power, the other half was bent on not allowing that to happen.
In the street fights that followed the left-wing, or Republican, coalition managed to win control of Madrid, and following this victory Republican movements sprung up throughout the country. The Republicans are in control of major cities where socialist sentiments are high, of the southern agricultural areas where the poor distrust the nationalists, and of the Basque and Catalan regions where the local populations fear the nationalist threat to their regional identities. The rich industrial areas of northern Spain are in the hands of the Nationalists, as is the city of Seville in the south of Spain. The conflict seems set for a bloody civil war if no compromise can be reached quickly.
Delhi Times
June 9th
CHINESE DEFEATED IN YUNNAN
Following the success in Sinkiang the Chinese Army launched a major offensive into the other rebel-held area of Yunnan. Here, however, the outcome was much worse for the Chinese than anticipated. The rebels, armed and organized even better than before, easily defeated the Chinese army and forced it to retreat.
After the initial victory the rebels, armed with very advanced weapons and using advanced tactics, began a major offensive against the fortified Chinese positions and were able to force the Chinese to retreat back to around the lines from the beginning of the year. The only major city in the region is still in Chinese hands, but it is surrounded by rebel forces and an assault is expected soon.
This new set-back shows the weakness of the Chinese army, and boosts the confidence of local warlords and officials in their ability to maintain their independence from the central government.
Berlin News
June 12th
WAR IN AUSTRIA
Following the entrance of Hungary into the conflict between Czechs and Austrians the Czech advance was slowed, but not stopped, and the Czech army surrounded Vienna. The city was shelled for two consecutive days, but new developments prevented the Czechs from launching the planned assault.
The German military, without any declaration or warning, launched a full scale attack on the Czech forces in Austria. Within hours the Czech military was decimated by relentless German bombings and was forced to retreat from Vienna.
During the following week a large German army occupied most of Austria and continued its assault against the Czech forces, eventually pushing the Czechs completely out of Austria.
The Hungarians and the Germans now occupy all of Austria, and the two sides are openly supporting the two different factions within Austria. The Germans back the faction calling for a union with Germany, and are preparing to hold elections in Austria that will pave the pay for the union. The Hungarians are actively backing the pro-monarchist faction that opposes the union with Germany and instead calls for a restoration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
The two sides have clashed over the city of Vienna, but currently in remains in Hungarian hands, although Germany does occupy a much larger part of Austria
Hong Kong Times
June 19th
WAR IN SIAM
Following continued raids into Siam by the Japanese forces the Siamese army has been ordered to move to the border of the country. In response Japan declared that Siam is supporting Vietnamese rebels and invaded Siam, easily crushing the tiny Siamese army on the border.
Small groups of Siamese forces continue to slow the Japanese advance, but they cannot do much to stop the Imperial Japanese Army as more and more of Siam falls to the invaders.
The Siamese government has appealed to the United Kingdom, an ally of Siam, to intervene immediately and declare war against Japan, but there has been so far no reply from His Majestys Government.