Condor Legion The Wehrmacht's Training Ground

"The Spanish Civil War between the Nationalists, under Gen. Francisco Franco, and the Republicans polarised international opinion. The Nationalists received aid from the fascists -- Nazi Germany and Italy; the Republicans from Russia and the International Brigades. German assistance started in July 1936, when Hitler sent Ju52 transports to Morocco from where they transported the Army of Africa to Spain. In October 1936, Hitler gave permission for the Condor Legion to be formed. An autonomous unit responsible only to Franco, the legion participated in all the major engagements of the war -- including Brunete, Teruel, Aragon and Ebro -- but possibly its best remembered participation was the carpet-bombing of the market town of Guernica, immortalised by Picaso. The Condor Legion returned to Germany in 1938"--Page 4 of cover.