Anniversaries & Dates of Interest - April Quiz

Answer: Spain

The Spanish Civil War began on 17th July 1936 and ended on 1st April 1939. The warring sides were the Republicans loyal to the established Government and Nationalists led by General Francisco Franco. Many foreigners fought for the protagonists. Crucially, Germany and Italy backed Franco's forces with military hardware and might.

The war ended in victory for Franco, who was to rule Spain for 36 years.

Answer: Britain and Argentina

Both countries claimed sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. Britain's claim dates back to 1765, though France established a colony earlier and the islands were discovered by the Portuguese. In 1767, Spain bought the French interests. Spain and Britain almost went to war over the islands, but the British established a colony in 1771.

The commitments of the American War of Independence caused Britain to leave, and Spain moved back in. After Britain defeated Spain in the Peninsular War, the Spanish left. (I hope you are keeping up with all of this).

After too many more twists and turns to outline here, the British took control again in 1833. Argentina insisted that because it won independence from Spain, all the previous Spanish holdings were theirs.

In 1982 Argentina invaded and seized control, only to be defeated by a British task force that sailed from the UK and outfought the Argentine forces on land, at sea and in the air.

Answer: Unabomber

For 17 years from 1978, Kaczynski waged a campaign of terror that resulted in three deaths with more than 20 people injured. His targets were people who worked in modern technologies, such as universities, aircraft manufacturers and computer stores.

He was arrested by FBI officers on April 3rd, 1996, near Lincoln, Montana. He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole. The wrong answers are all associated with American domestic terrorism.

Answer: Libya

Eighteen US F-111 bombers took part in the raid, dropping 60 tons of bombs and missiles. Fifteen people died on the ground. The raid was in retaliation against a bomb attack on a German nightclub 10 days earlier. The nightclub was frequented by US servicemen. Three people died, two of them Americans, and 230 were injured, 79 of them Americans. Libya was blamed for the attack.

Answer: Sheffield

The incident happened during the FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, which was a neutral venue. Most of the casualties were Liverpool supporters who sustained crush injuries when too many people were allowed into one of the standing terraces.

At that time, high metal fences separated the football fans from the pitch, so that supporters were unable to escape to safety. An official inquiry in 1990 blamed the police for permitting the overcrowding.

In 2012, the report of another inquiry ruled that police statements had been altered to reduce culpability. The Hillsborough disaster was to lead to massive changes in football (soccer) ground safety. As a result, the metal fences were torn down and standing terraces were banned, to be replaced with all-seater grandstands.

Answer: Texas

The Branch Davidian was a break-away offshoot originating in 1942 from the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. The mother church believed that the second coming of Christ was imminent. "The Branch", as the break-away group was also known, was formed by Victor Houteff who believed there were errors in the Adventists' theology.

He also believed he was a messenger of God. By 1993, The Branch was led by David Koresh and had a compound near Waco, Texas. The authorities suspected that firearms violations were taking place. On February 28th 1993, officers of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) moved in to search the compound.

They were resisted and a shootout occurred. This led to a stand-off that lasted 51 days until FBI officers launched an attack.

It is probably sufficient to say that there is some controversy over exactly what happened next, but by the time the smoke had cleared - literally since the compound went on fire - 76 Branch members, men women and children, were dead. Koresh was among them. (Six others in the compound died earlier in the siege).

Answer: Adolf Hitler

Adolf Hitler was born in Austria on 20th April 1889 and died on 30th April 1945. He served in the German Army in World War One and in 1921 joined the Nationalist Socialist Party. He rose to be leader and in 1934 became Germany's Head of State. He led Germany to war in 1939.

Although Germany had many initial successes, gradually the allied forces of Great Britain, the USA and USSR and the other Allies prevailed. Hitler committed suicide as the Red Army closed in on Berlin. At the same time that it waged war on foreign enemies, Nazi Germany embarked on a programme to ethnically cleanse its own people and those in a number of minority groups in countries it had invaded. Hitler was an enthusiastic leader of this campaign that led to millions of deaths in concentration camps.

Answer: Lenin

Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was born on in April 1870 and died on 21st January 1924. He was a leader of the Soviet revolution from 1917 and was Premier of the post-revolution Soviet Union from 1922 to 1924. After his death, his embalmed body was laid out in state in a Moscow Mausoleum for decades - to be visited and viewed by locals and foreign visitors alike. Lenin ruled by terror and, it is alleged by some, gave the direct order for the killing of members of the last Russian Royal Family.

Answer: Dublin

The 'Easter Rising' of 1916 was a bid by Irish nationalist elements to further their campaign for independence from Great Britain. The rising itself terms was a failure in purely military; however, some historians have said that Britain dealt so harshly with the rebels it cemented their resolve and that of the Irish people in general that created an inevitability about the ending of British rule. Freedom for Ireland was to come in 1921, but it was not the complete independence the nationalists wanted, for six counties remained under British control. (I should acknowledge that the introduction to the question is based on a joke by the Irish comedian Dara Ó Briain.)

Answer: Chernobyl

An explosion and fire at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine released large quantities of radioactive particles into the atmosphere. It was the worst peacetime nuclear disaster to that time. According to Russian figures, 31 people died directly as a result of the explosion and the attempts to bring the fire under control. Those totals are doubted in many circles.

Many other people were affected by the radio active fall-out. The nearby city of Pripyat was evacuated. The total number of deaths and serious illnesses remains uncalculated.

The wrong answers were all the scenes of previous nuclear plant accidents: Kyshtym (Russia) in 1957; Windscale (England) also in 1957; and Three Mile Island (Pennsylvania, USA) in 1979.