SEP 10, 1937: In Switzerland, the Nyon Conference is attended by 9 nations (UK, France, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Greece, Egypt) to address attacks on international shipping in the Mediterranean Sea during the ongoing Spanish Civil War (Jul 1936 to Apr 1939). The diplomats had convened because Italy had been carrying out unrestricted submarine warfare and although they weren't accused directly, their actions were called piracy. Italy and Germany had refused participation at Nyon (as did Albania) as both fascist nations were supporting dictator Francisco Franco's Nationalist forces against the Republicans backed by the UK, France & Russia. After 4 days, an agreement was signed that affirmed aggressive submarines would be counterattacked, naval patrols to be established (with Italy and Germany invited and both withdrawing), the signatory countries would patrol their own waters, and similar provisions to be applied to surface ships. As Nyon had been specifically designed with the aim of strengthening non-intervention in Spain (alongside the 1936-formed Non-Intervention Committee meant to prevent foreign involvement and embargo war materials), it had been viewed favorably by the League of Nations in the belief of isolating right-wing totalitarianism & its proxy alliance. The rejection of using convoy systems however led to squabbling between nations over co-operation & compromise and as goodwill soured, tensions only heightened in Europe. British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain in seeking better relations with Italy and Germany, later signed the Anglo-Italian Agreements in Apr 1938, and in Sept, attended the Munich Conference in Germany (involving Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland) reaching an agreement with Adolf Hitler that history would heavily condemn as shameful appeasement.
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