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What Is Askatasuna?

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Euskadi ta Askatasuna, better known as ETA, were a terrorist group that existed in the Basque region of Spain and in the southwestern part of France. Founded in 1959, it originated as a group that promoted the traditional Basque culture. What started as an organization that wanted to spread Basque pride, ended with a terrorist group that had a goal of getting independence for the Basque Country. While the ETA terrorist group was in action, they killed an estimated 857 people, 576 of which were located within the Basque region (Martin-Peña).
The ETA developed from the idea that the Basque culture was not being appreciated by the Spanish and their anger towards the Spanish government that was taking advantage of them. In the 1940s, Spain was a country that was struggling, both economically and to get back on its feet after the Spanish Civil War that had taken millions of lives. In an effort to help the country, they attempted to put the burden of growth upon areas of the country that were already developed, the Basques being one of them. They then invest that money into other areas of the country to speed up growth, which allowed for Spain to have the fastest growing economy in Europe by 1960. It also caused it to have problems that would ultimately lead for the creation of the ETA. The resistance started forming after the civil war had ended. The Basque government had had headquarters in France and felt as if Spain had come and torn them apart from their country and their

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