The following events occurred in October 1936:
October 1, 1936 (Thursday) Francisco Franco was officially invested with the title of Chief of State in the throne room at Burgos. He made a short and simple speech vowing to "try to raise Spain to the place that corresponds to her history and her rank in earlier times." In Valencia, the Spanish Cortes met for the first time since July 18 and passed a law granting home rule to the Basque Country. Al Smith gave a nationally broadcast address in which he broke from the Democrats and endorsed Alf Landon for President of the United States. Juan Demóstenes Arosemena became President of Panama. Born: Duncan Edwards, footballer, in Dudley, Worcestershire, England (d. 1958)
October 2, 1936 (Friday) In Austria, the Heimwehr expelled Emil Fey from its ranks and forbade other members of the organization from having any contact with him. Fey had been locked in a long rivalry with Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg for control of the Heimwehr. The New York Yankees, playing the New York Giants, set the team record for most runs scored in a single World Series game with 18. Died: Juho Sunila, 61, two-time prime minister of Finland
October 3, 1936 (Saturday) A typhoon in Japan left approximately 70 dead. Franco created a cabinet with three generals, a diplomat and his brother Nicolás. The earliest known public use of the term "fifth column" appeared in Mundo Obrero in an article by Dolores Ibárruri, who attributed the term to Emilio Mola. Collingwood defeated South Melbourne in the 40th Victorian Football League Grand Final. The Aztec Bowl was dedicated on the San Diego State University campus in San Diego, California. Born: Steve Reich, minimalist composer, in New York City Died: John Heisman, 66, American football player and coach
October 4, 1936 (Sunday) The Battle of Cable Street occurred in the East End of London when members of Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists clashed with anti-fascist demonstrators. 100,000 leftists marched in Paris in support of the Spanish Republic and fought in the streets with pro-Nationalists.
October 5, 1936 (Monday) Italy devalued the lira and introduced various levies on capital. In Moscow, the USSR State Symphony Orchestra performed in public for the first time. Jarrow March: 200 Hunger marchers in Jarrow began their march to London. They carried a petition with 11,572 signatures asking for government help. The marchers hoped to draw attention to the 68 percent unemployment rate in the town Born: Václav Havel, writer, philosopher and 1st President of the Czech Republic, in Prague, Czechoslovakia (d. 2011)
October 6, 1936 (Tuesday) The Regional Defence Council of Aragon was established in Spain. British Fascist leader Oswald Mosley and Diana Mitford were secretly married in Berlin in a ceremony attended by Adolf Hitler. Kálmán Darányi became Prime Minister of Hungary. The New York Yankees won the World Series with a 13–5 win over the New York Giants in Game 6.
October 7, 1936 (Wednesday) The Soviet Union issued an ultimatum threatening to take active involvement in the Spanish Civil War unless Portugal, Italy and Germany stopped aiding the Nationalists. German Panzer troops arrived in Spain to train Nationalist forces with tanks and AT guns. José Antonio Aguirre became the 1st President of the Basque Country. Kyösti Kallio became Prime Minister of Finland. The Cole Porter musical Red, Hot and Blue opened at the Colonial Theatre in Boston for a pre-Broadway run ahead of its October 29 premiere at the Alvin Theatre. Born: Fereydoun Farrokhzad, entertainer, in Tehran, Iran (d. 1992)
October 8, 1936 (Thursday) Germany fired back at the Soviet Union, saying that it was "hardly sincere" that Russia would "accuse other states of doing what it itself has long been doing." Germany denied sending airplanes or other military supplies to Spain. The first episode of the British television programme Picture Page was broadcast. Died: Red Ames, 54, American baseball player; Cheiro, 69, Irish astrologer; William Henry Stark, 85, American industrial leader
October 9, 1936 (Friday) The European committee on neutrality in the Spanish Civil War met in London with representatives of 27 nations present. Many accusations were flung back and forth but no concrete proposals on how to resolve them were offered, and the meeting adjourned with no date set for another meeting. 650 fighters of the International Brigades arrived at Alicante. Boulder Dam began generating electricity. Born: Brian Blessed, actor, in Mexborough, England Died: Friedrich von Oppeln-Bronikowski, 63, German writer and translator