Four Weeks One Summer

In the summer of 1936, over just four weeks, it all went wrong – for democracy and for Spain, even for the British royals. Politicians failed, and Hitler was emboldened to plan a new European war, and more.

When some army generals sought to overthrow Spain’s elected government, Francisco Franco quickly emerged as their leader; Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy supported him with men and materiel; pusillanimous politicians in Britain and the United States, even in France, turned a blind eye – and the Spanish Civil War was on. Edward VIII took a scandalous holiday cruise with Mrs Simpson, Berlin staged the greatest sporting event of modern times, the alternative Peoples’ Olympiad never came to be, and Barcelona was transformed into a unique workers’ paradise. All this in four weeks. It was an incongruous, at times brilliant, juxtaposition of events.

Bad decisions were made. Bad behaviour prevailed. Thousands died. Bad people won; not forever, but for a time. There is some joy in those four weeks that summer – much in fact, with Europe on holiday and Berlin en fête – four weeks, however, when it all went wrong.

About the Author

Nicholas Whitlam is a prominent Australian businessman. A graduate in history from Harvard, Four Weeks One Summer is his third book. A career banker, Whitlam worked for major international banks in New York, London, Sydney and Hong Kong. On returning to Australia he became CEO of a major Australian bank and then chairman of the country's largest insurance company. He and his wife of more than forty years, the former Judy Frye, have three adult children and live in a coastal village south of Sydney.