[a] Who decided that Guernica was a legitimate military target?
[b] Was Guernica just an experiment in the effectiveness of terror bombing?
2007-08-10 03:15:40 · 4 answers · asked by Gromm's Ghost 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
I don't think it was a dry run on terror bombing at all, but mainly a raid that did not have proper reconaissance beforehand and one which did not have effective enough leadership to bomb the correct target, the bridge behind the town. The town was a possible target, both for the armaments factory outside the town, and for the possible retreat route for Republican forces in the area. So I believe that the bombing raid was just not given enough time and expertise to carry out properly, and as a result, many civilian deaths occurred, though not the 1600+ claimed at the time, but more like 300-400 total. Though planned and carried out by German and Italian forces, the raid was probably ordered by Franco or, more likely, the Nationalist General in the area, Emilio Mola.
2007-08-10 05:25:21 · answer #1 · answered by Bob Mc 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Guernica was a focal point point for the Republican forces. It stood between the Nationalists and the capture of Bilbao. Guernica also was the escape route for the Nationalists to Bilbao. According to papers released in the 1970's, this area represented part of a wider Nationalist campaign. Some have said that the evidence does not support a terror bombing and that Richthofen was ignorant of the cultural significance of Guernica. However, its name has become part of the lexicon of terror bombing along with Rotterdam and Dresden.
2007-08-10 10:37:03 · answer #2 · answered by kepjr100 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Excellent! Whoever was, all the major powers were there to check results. Viva Lincolns. There is a TV special on Stalingrad that demonstrates futility of demolishing building, if ground forces are required to subdue a city. So perhaps,Guernica wasn't but the forerunner of needless civilian deaths. Usually, wars are won by material deficiency by losing side. I don't think Guernica had supply dumps.
2007-08-10 10:29:53 · answer #3 · answered by peter s 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Anarchy Archives site looks like it would be a great source of information on the Spanish Civil War. It was originally established as a college class project and there is a wide scope of articles about the conflict. Here's the link:
http://dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/spancivwar/spancivwarhis.html
2007-08-10 10:27:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋