1938 AERIAL BOMBING OF BARCELONA, SPAIN

Photograph by The Italian Air Force

Aerial bombing of Barcelona in 1938 by Francisco Franco’s Nationalist Air Force. The Spanish Civil War saw some of the earliest extensive use of aerial bombardment of civilian targets, and the development of new terror bombing techniques.

The Spanish Civil War began in July 1936 and officially ended with Franco’s victory in April 1939, leaving 190,000[ to 500,000 dead. Despite the Non-Intervention Agreement of August 1936, the war was marked by foreign intervention on behalf of both sides, leading to international repercussions. The Nationalist side was supported by Fascist Italy and later by Nazi Germany, which assisted with the Condor Legion infamous for their bombing of Guernica in April 1937. [Source: Wikipedia]

via The Atlantic: In Focus with Alan Taylor – World War II: Before the War

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