Rioters in Madrid set fire to Catholic churches, schools and monasteries due to unfounded rumors that priests and nuns were distributing poisoned candy to children.[6]
The Italian army entered the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.[3] That evening, Mussolini gave a nationally broadcast speech declaring victory in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.[7]
Amy Johnson reclaimed her England-to-South Africa flight record when she landed her Percival Gull Six at Cape Town 3 days, 6 hours and 29 minutes after leaving Kent.[10]
At dawn in Washington, D.C., it was discovered that someone had hoisted the flag of the Soviet Union on the flagpole of the United States Supreme Court Building overnight, and had knotted the halyard so well that it could not be hauled down. At the base of the flagpole a copy of The Harvard Lampoon was found, indicating the work of a prankster. Police called in the fire department, who extended a ladder up to the flag and burned it.[11]
Benito Mussolini announced the annexation of Ethiopia and proclaimed Italian East Africa in a triumphant speech from the balcony of the Palazzo Venezia. He declared a resurgent Roman empire and asked the assembled crowd, "Will you be worthy of it?" The crowd answered with a cry of "Si!"[15]
Police in Thessaloniki fired on a crowd staging a general strike against the government of Ioannis Metaxas. 30 were killed and hundreds wounded.[5][16]
Haile Selassie gave a written statement to journalists explaining that he and his family fled Ethiopia because their death or imprisonment would not have served the interests of the people. "Upon consulting our nobles, it was agreed that we could best serve the interests of our people by going abroad so that we might freely pursue our efforts to safeguard the independence of Ethiopia", the statement read.[18]
The Italian delegation at the League of Nations walked out on a session about Ethiopia when the League allowed Ethiopia's delegate to continue participating in League sessions.[20]
Austrian Vice-Chancellor Ernst Rüdiger Starhemberg sent Mussolini a telegram congratulating him on his conquest of Ethiopia. The Austrian foreign office was flooded with diplomatic protests from other countries that same day.[22]
In Japan, Sada Abe strangled her lover with an obi and then cut off his genitals to carry around with her as a souvenir. When the crime was discovered the next day it became a national sensation and would be the subject of many books and movies over the decades to follow.[30]
Former U.S. President Herbert Hoover released a written statement asserting that he was not a candidate for president in 1936. "I have rigidly prevented my friends from setting up any organization and from presenting my name in any primary or to any state convention, and not a single delegate from California or any other state is pledged to me", Hoover declared. "That should end such discussion."[31]
During his annual message to Congress, Chilean President Arturo Alessandri hinted that Chile may withdraw from the League of Nations if it was not reorganized. "The great day of open diplomacy has not arrived", Alessandri said. "There has been no reduction of armaments. The political conveniences of the great powers have prevailed over the principles of the Covenant. The League's peace machinery is ineffective and 15 years of experience have shown that it requires fundamental revision." Alessandri mentioned unspecified "other measures" that would be taken if this revision did not happen.[33]
276 Catholic monks went on trial in Koblenz, Germany on charges of immorality both among themselves and with young male pupils. The public was barred from the court proceedings.[38]
A special edition of The London Gazette announced that the coronation date of Edward VIII had been set for May 12, 1937. Heralds made the official proclamation of the coronation date the following day.[40]
The Turkish Flag Law standardized the appearance of the flag of Turkey.[42]
In the Spanish town of Yeste, Albacete, a crowd of peasants followed the Civil Guard as they brought six prisoners to the town who had been arrested for illegally working some land that had previously been communal property. As the gathering of peasants grew larger, an agreement was reached to release the prisoners. When the crowd pushed forward a Civil Guard panicked and fired a shot, and a Guard was killed in the ensuing melee. The Civil Guard opened fire on the peasants and chased them into the surrounding hills, killing 17 in total including the deputy mayor of the town.[43]
Germany observed a memorial day for the Navy to mark the 20th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland. Hitler attended the dedication of the Laboe Naval Memorial but was not among those who spoke at the ceremony.[44]
