The "Dutch War Scare" leads to a major change in British policies towards Europe. January 24 – 1939 Chillán earthquake: An earthquake in Chile kills an estimated 30,000 people and razes about of land. January 25 – Refik Saydam forms the new (11th) government of Turkey. January 26 Spanish Civil War: Spanish Nationalist troops, aided by Italy, take Barcelona. In Paris, French Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet, in response to rumours (which are true) that he is seeking to end the French alliance system in Eastern Europe, gives a speech highlighting his government's commitment to the cordon sanitaire. January 27 – Adolf Hitler orders Plan Z, a 5-year naval expansion programme intended to provide for a huge German fleet capable of crushing the Royal Navy by 1944. The Kriegsmarine is given the first priority on the allotment of German economic resources. January 30 – Hitler gives a speech before the Reichstag calling for an "export battle" to increase German foreign exchange holdings. The same speech also sees Hitler's "prophecy", where he warns that if "Jewish financiers" start a war against Germany, "the result will be the annihilation of the Jewish race in Europe". February February 2 – Hungary joins the Anti-Comintern Pact. February 6 British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain states in the House of Commons that any German attack on France will be automatically considered an attack on Britain. In a response to Georges Bonnet's speech of January 26, German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop, referring to Bonnet's alleged statement of December 6, 1938, accepting Eastern Europe as being in Germany's exclusive sphere of influence, protests that all French security commitments in that region are "now off limits". February 15 – John Ford's Western film Stagecoach starring John Wayne premieres in New York City and Los Angeles. February 18 – The Golden Gate International Exposition opens in San Francisco. February 27 – The United Kingdom and France recognize Franco's government. March March – The 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine ends. March 1 – An Imperial Japanese Army ammunition dump explosion on the outskirts of Osaka kills 94. March 2 – Pope Pius XII (Cardinal Pacelli) succeeds Pope Pius XI to become the 260th pope. March 3 – In Durban, South Africa the Timeless Test begins between England and South Africa, the longest game of cricket ever played. It is abandoned 12 days later, when the English team has to catch their