1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,320 Speaker 1: Hey, everyone, it's Eaves. Just wanted to let you know 2 00:00:02,360 --> 00:00:04,520 Speaker 1: that you'll be hearing an episode from me and an 3 00:00:04,559 --> 00:00:07,360 Speaker 1: episode from Tracy V. Wilson today. I hope you enjoyed 4 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:14,200 Speaker 1: the show. Welcome to this day in history class. It's 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: July thirty one. The Alhambra Decree went into effect honest 6 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:22,720 Speaker 1: day in fourteen. This was the decree issued by Ferdinand, 7 00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: King of Aragon and Isabella, Queen of Castile, which expelled 8 00:00:26,720 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: the Jewish population from Spain. This was not at all 9 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,239 Speaker 1: the first time that a European nation had expelled its 10 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:37,680 Speaker 1: Jewish population. England did it in the thirteenth century. France 11 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:42,159 Speaker 1: and the fourteenth century. Also Vienna, Bavaria, and Milan all 12 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,519 Speaker 1: expelled their Jewish populations. For centuries, though, the collection of 13 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: kingdoms that we think of as Spain today had been 14 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:54,080 Speaker 1: home to Christians, Muslims, and Jews, and who was in 15 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:58,840 Speaker 1: power shifted at any given time. First, the Muslims had 16 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 1: driven the Germanic people's known as the Visigoths out of 17 00:01:02,040 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: a lot of this territory, and then Christians regained control 18 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,720 Speaker 1: of that territory in a series of campaigns that were 19 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 1: known as La Reckonquista. Throughout all of this, Spanish Jews 20 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: or Safarti were in the minority of the people who 21 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: were living in this area. But even before the Alheber decree, 22 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 1: Jews in Spain had been facing a lot of anti Semitism. 23 00:01:25,160 --> 00:01:28,759 Speaker 1: The Catholic Church in Spain taught specifically that Jews were 24 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:32,440 Speaker 1: responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. Some Jews worked 25 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: as money lenders and charged interest, which was usury under 26 00:01:36,120 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: Christian law, and also became a huge stereotype. Christians in 27 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:44,759 Speaker 1: general were distrustful of Jews, and all of this always 28 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: got a lot worse in times of war or social 29 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:53,680 Speaker 1: or economic crisis. Just as one example, Jews were blamed 30 00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: completely without cause for the Black Death. And this wasn't 31 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 1: just cruel t Thousands of Jews in the city of 32 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: Toledo were killed because of this rumor that Jews were 33 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: responsible for the Black Death. There was huge pressure for 34 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: Jews to convert to Catholicism during all of this. We 35 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:17,920 Speaker 1: talked about that a little earlier this month. Actually, this 36 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: was especially true after Ferdinand and Isabella married and united 37 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,519 Speaker 1: their kingdoms and started explicitly trying to make their nation 38 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: that they were ruling under a Catholic nation. In fourteen 39 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:33,399 Speaker 1: seventy eight, Ferdinand and Isabella became suspicious that recent converts 40 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: to Catholicism, who were known as conversos, were really lying 41 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: about their conversions and we're still Jewish, in other words, 42 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:43,400 Speaker 1: that they were crypto Jews. That earlier this month that 43 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: we talked about it was when we talked about the 44 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:50,799 Speaker 1: Inquisition and the inquisitions targeting of conversos. Tensions were really 45 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 1: high until fourteen nine, when a group of Jews and 46 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: Conversos were accused of a horrifying crime again in the 47 00:02:59,040 --> 00:03:02,800 Speaker 1: city of Toledo. They were accused of crucifying a Christian 48 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: child and desecrating a consecrated host as part of a 49 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:11,040 Speaker 1: supernatural ritual. The host is what's used in communion. The 50 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 1: accused people were tried by the Spanish Inquisition and they 51 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: were burned to death. But for a lot of people, 52 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 1: they really thought of this as a breaking point, and 53 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 1: I thought of it as the moment that the Jewish 54 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: population needed to go. On January second, of the last 55 00:03:27,600 --> 00:03:32,440 Speaker 1: Muslim stronghold in Spain fell to Spanish forces. Ferdinand and 56 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:38,200 Speaker 1: Isabella set about really focusing on removing the Jews from Spain. 57 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: And making the territory exclusively Catholic, and part of this 58 00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:44,400 Speaker 1: was the al Hybrid Decree was signed on March thirty 59 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: one of that year and it went into effect on 60 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,560 Speaker 1: July one. Again today in history, by that moment, by 61 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:55,720 Speaker 1: July thirty one, all Jews living in their territory either 62 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: had to convert or they had to leave. They were 63 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: given permission to sell their possessions to fund their journey, 64 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: but they weren't allowed to take any gold, silver, or 65 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: coins out of the country. They could obtain letters of 66 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 1: credit for the value of their sold property, but basically 67 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: there was an order to leave and then an increasingly 68 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,800 Speaker 1: big set of obstacles to try to cross to even 69 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: be able to leave. Although the deadline was the last 70 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:24,559 Speaker 1: day of July, the last ships carrying juice from Spain 71 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,400 Speaker 1: left on the second of August. Christopher Columbus then set 72 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 1: sail on his first voyage the next day, and that 73 00:04:31,600 --> 00:04:36,080 Speaker 1: has really overshadowed the Jewish expulsion that happened when somebody 74 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:41,880 Speaker 1: says the impact on the Sephardic Jewish population was catastrophic. 75 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: They lost their homes, their possessions, in their livelihood. Some 76 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 1: who were better off did manage to hang onto at 77 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: least some of their wealth and to secure passage to 78 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 1: North Africa or to the America's where they might continue 79 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: to carry on their own religion and traditions. But a 80 00:04:58,080 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: lot of the others just wound up in other neighboring kingdoms, 81 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:05,120 Speaker 1: only to be expelled from them later on as well. 82 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 1: The few remaining Muslims in Spain faced a similar convert 83 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: or leave order not long after the Alhambra decree wasn't 84 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: overturned until nineteen sixty eight, and then in Spain offered 85 00:05:18,279 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: Sephardic Jews who were descended from people who had been 86 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:24,560 Speaker 1: expelled during all of this, an opportunity to apply for 87 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: Spanish citizenship without giving up their current citizenship. This effected 88 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,760 Speaker 1: as many as three point five million people. You can 89 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: learn more about all of this in the November ten 90 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: episode of Stuff You Miss in History Class called the 91 00:05:37,960 --> 00:05:41,479 Speaker 1: Expulsion of the Jews from Spain, and from the November 92 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:45,479 Speaker 1: one episode La reckon Quista and the Alhambra, And you 93 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: can subscribe to This Day in History Class on Apple podcasts, 94 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:52,599 Speaker 1: Google podcasts, and whatever else you get your podcasts. Tomorrow, 95 00:05:52,920 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: we'll have an astronomical discovery that was also a female first. 96 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 1: Welcome to this day in History class, where we bring 97 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:20,440 Speaker 1: you a new tipbit from history every day. The day 98 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: was July thirty one, nineteen forty three. Germany tried a 99 00:06:25,200 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: new tactic against the Night which is the nickname for 100 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:33,440 Speaker 1: the female Soviet aviators of the Night Bomber Regiment. They 101 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: shot tracers at the plans of the Night Whiches and 102 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:41,240 Speaker 1: deployed Night Fighters, killing eight Soviet pilots. The Night which 103 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: Is took their last fight on May fourth, nineteen three 104 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,880 Speaker 1: days before Germany surrendered to the Allies in World War Two. 105 00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: Before the Night which Is women had been barred from combat, 106 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:56,120 Speaker 1: but the Germans were putting a lot of pressure on 107 00:06:56,160 --> 00:07:00,479 Speaker 1: the Soviet Union. Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin issued in order 108 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:05,040 Speaker 1: for the creation of three women's Air Force units. Experienced 109 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:09,279 Speaker 1: pilot and navigator Marina Raskova had already been putting out 110 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: calls for and interviewing women who wanted to become combat pilots, 111 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: and she had petitioned Stalin to create a fighting squadron 112 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:21,160 Speaker 1: of all women. The women who were selected to be 113 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: part of the one and twenty second Composite Air Group 114 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 1: soon split into the five eight six Fighter Regiment, the 115 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 1: five eight seventh Bomber Regiment, and the five eight Night 116 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:37,120 Speaker 1: Bomber Regiment. They were mostly young women between ages seventeen 117 00:07:37,160 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 1: and twenty six. The women went through about six months 118 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: of training, a period that was short compared to the 119 00:07:44,040 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: years normally afforded other soldiers. Major Rascava commanded the five 120 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,320 Speaker 1: eight seventh Regiment until she was killed in combat in 121 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: nineteen forty three. Did face challenges and sexism for being 122 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 1: women in a male domnated space, but a lot of 123 00:08:02,040 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: difficulties they faced stemmed from the fact that the military 124 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: was not prepared for women pilots and did not have 125 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:13,600 Speaker 1: adequate resources. For instance, they had to wear oversized boots 126 00:08:13,640 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: and uniforms handed down from male soldiers, and they got 127 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: old biplanes that had been used as training vehicles and 128 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:26,240 Speaker 1: were not intended for combat. They did not have parachutes, radios, 129 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: and other equipment, and they had to make do with rulers, maps, encompasses, 130 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:36,160 Speaker 1: and other rudimentary materials. Though their piloting skills were excellent, 131 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,480 Speaker 1: they struggled to acclimate to combat in the beginning, but 132 00:08:40,559 --> 00:08:48,040 Speaker 1: on June regiment embarked on his first mission Two women 133 00:08:48,080 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 1: were killed on that first mission to bomb the headquarters 134 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 1: of a German division. But from there the Night which 135 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,200 Speaker 1: is grew more skilled in combat and were feared by Germans. 136 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 1: There wouldn't lanes had to fly at low altitudes because 137 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: the bombs were so heavy, so they only completed missions 138 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: at night because there were such easy targets. Two people 139 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:13,000 Speaker 1: traveled in each plane, a pilot and a navigator. They 140 00:09:13,040 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 1: went on several missions each night. Their nickname night which 141 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:19,960 Speaker 1: is came from the fact that the sound of air 142 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,840 Speaker 1: over their plane wings as they glided reminded Germans of broomsticks. 143 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:28,720 Speaker 1: Because they completed many successful missions, they were viewed as 144 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 1: heroes by many Soviets, but they did have some downs 145 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:36,160 Speaker 1: as well. On the night between July thirty one in 146 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 1: August first, nineteen, the Germans shot tracers at the Night 147 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,839 Speaker 1: which is planes. Tracers are bullets, are shelves that carry 148 00:09:44,880 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: a pyrotechnic charge to mark the flight path, and they 149 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 1: set fire to the campus in wooden planes. Four of 150 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 1: the Night which is planes went down, though others managed 151 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:59,600 Speaker 1: to evade the Germans Night Fighters. After the night, which 152 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:04,440 Speaker 1: is their last mission in the Germans surrendered twenty three 153 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:09,320 Speaker 1: of them were named heroes of the Soviet Union. I'm 154 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,800 Speaker 1: Eve step Code and hopefully you know a little more 155 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:15,880 Speaker 1: about history today than you did yesterday. If you'd like 156 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,360 Speaker 1: to learn more about listen to the episode of Stuff 157 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,559 Speaker 1: you miss in History class called The Night which is 158 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: and if you're so inclined, you can follow us at 159 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 1: T D i h C Podcasts on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. 160 00:10:33,640 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 1: Thanks again for listening and we'll see you tomorrow. For 161 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 1: more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 162 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:48,160 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.