The Spanish Civil War began on 17 July 1936, when a military coup, aided by Italian and German forces, attempted to overthrow Spain’s democratically elected government. Spanish Morocco fell under military control with little resistance, as did the Canary and Balearic Islands. On 18 July 1936, General Francisco Franco spoke on a radio broadcast from the Canary Islands, announcing the military takeover. On the mainland, however, the revolt faced stiff resistance, especially in the urban and industrialised centres.