On the evening of the 26th of April, 1937, the town of Gernica was bustling with life.

It was market day.

Families were out shopping.

Traders were packing up their stalls.

Church bells were echoing through the streets.

But within a few hours, Gernica would be changed forever.

That afternoon, waves of German, Italian aircraft fighting on the side of General Franco in the Spanish Civil War, descended on the town.

Bombs and incendiaries rain down with devastating precision.

Buildings collapsed, fires raged. Civilians fled in panic as the first deliberate

aerial bombing of a defenseless civilian population in Europe unfolded. By nightfall, much of

Gernaeckel lay in ruins. The bombing sparked international outrage,

inspired one of the most famous paintings in the world, and became a warning of what the future

of war would look like. But why Gerneker? Was it a strategic military target, or was it just

a horrifying experiment in modern warfare?

How exactly did the attack play out and what makes this moment such a defining example of the brutality of 20th century warfare?

In this episode, we'll uncover the motivations behind the bombing, explore the events that fateful day, and examine how Gernica became one of history's most

enduring and haunting symbols of human suffering. For this, we're joined by David Bryden,

a scene lecturer in the history of modern international relations at King's College London.

He specialised in the history of the 20th century, including the history of modern Spain.

Let's get into it.

P-minus 10.

The atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

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