Spanish Civil War

1936-1939

Opposing Sides

-Republicans (the existing government) -those loyal to the established Republic- urban workers, agricultural

labourers, educated middle class

- Communists- Socialists- USSR- International Brigades

(volunteers from allied countries such as Britain, U.S., Canada)

-Nationalists (rebels)-General Fransisco Franco-Italy & Germany

BOMBING OF GEURNICA

Aerial attack on the Basque town of Geurnica by German Luftwaffe (Concorde division)

The bombing is considered one of the first raids in the history of modern military aviation on a defenseless civilian population

1,654 people killed (according to Basque government) – the numbers are disputed

http://crfranke.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/guernica_large.jpgGuernica, Pablo Picasso, 1937

Symbolism Bull = brutality of German Luftwaffe Horse = savagely wounded land of Spain Lamp = conscience of humankind Torn bodies and agonised faces = the

horrors of war