[yochoylamuete]

However (damn non-existent edit button), it has a lot to do with world history and not only with Spanish history: The spanish CW was almost a preview of what WW2 would be. Mussolini and Hitler lined up with Franco, whereas the USSR backed the Republican side. European democracies were officially neutral and did not support any of the sides in an attempt to calm Hitler and stop the spreading of communism, however a lot of volunteers from many countries (Italy, UK, USA, France, Germany, East Countries...) come into Spain by his own means to defend the democratic elected government.

That Civil War became a Babel hell, where you could see both old fashioned WWI charges and the most modern battle tactics of the time (by Hitler's Condor Legion), such as dive bombing, swarm formations, the first Blitzkrieg movements, and, most infamous of all, bombing of cities away from the frontline just to tear down the enemy's will to fight. One of these last episodes was the inspiration for Picasso's "Guernica".

Regards,

YoChoy