research 2

There is a lot of warfare in history (there's a depressing thought), but I believe I've picked out the nost pertinent facts.

• Although they did not apply to national conflicts (civil wars), both the first and second Hague Conventions on the conduct of war prohibit combatants from acting to "destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.", as well as "the attack or bombardment of towns, villages, habitations or buildings which are not defended, is prohibited."(1899, the Second Hague Convention)
• The Spanish civil war began in 1936, following an unsuccesful coup d'etat by General Franco against the elected government of Spain.  The combatants fell into two loose camps:  the "Nationalists", led by Franco, believed that Spain was in danger of fragmentation, as well as communist take-over; while the "Republicans" were chiefly united in their opposition of the Nationalists.
• The Nationalist forces were supported by the fascist governments of Italy and Germany, who sent soldiers and equipment to help in the fight.
• The Republicans were chiefly supported by the Soviet Union and Mexico, as well as Marxist organisations around the world.  They were also supported by the "International Brigades", comprised of volunteers from around the world.
• The Soviet Union supplied armaments and soldiers to the Republicans, including many generals and soldiers from the first world war who had been exiled by Stalin.
• The German government supplied arms and military "advisors" including the "Condor Legion", which provided the majority of the Nationalist Airforce.
• France and England agreed to prevent the supply of aid to the Republicans from abroad, although this did not affect the supply of aid from the Soviet union, Italy or Germany
• Idealogically, the Nationalists were conservative, in favour of the status quo including democratic government and the power of the Catholic Church; the Republicans were progressive, containing socialists, communists and liberals.  The Republicans also included ethnic groups seeking independence, such as the Catalonians and Basques, as well as Anarchists (who sought the formation of a perfect society in which no laws or government was needed)
• The Town of Guernica was a Basque stronghold, and contained an oak tree under which the Basque parliment traditionaly sat.
• General Franco ordered the attack upon Guernica following unsuccessful Nationalist attacks upon Basque held territories.
• Following the attack upon Guernica, the Nationalist forces attempted to blame the attack upon so-called "Red" arsonists (republicans), however the Times Special Correspondent in Bilbao was actually machine-gunned by aircraft of the Nationalist Condor Legion when he went to view the aftermath of the attack on Guernica.
• There was no military value in the attack on Guernica, it was a "terror raid" designed to undermine the Republican forces will to fight.

Bibliography

The Avalon Project (2008) The Second Hague Convention (1907) [Online] At: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/hague04.asp (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

Tonge, Stephen (2011) The Spanish Civil War [Online] At: http://www.historyhome.co.uk/europe/spaincw.htm (Accessed on 28/02/2011)

The Times Special Correspondent (1937) Bombing of Guernica In: The Times [Online archive] At: http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15-001&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1937-05-06-15 (Accessed on 28/02/2011)