German Military Vehicles In The Spanish Civil War

An authoritative and fully illustrated study of the German military vehicles that fought in the Spanish Civil War—from motorcycles to Panzer Tanks. This comprehensive volume examines the combat and logistics vehicles that formed a vital part of the German contingent fighting in the Spanish Civil War alongside Francisco Franco’s Nationalist forces. The Panzer I, which so surprised the world in the Polish campaign of World War II, was first seen in the Spanish Civil War. It appeared together with a wide range of war materiel such as antitank guns, flamethrowers, and other armaments. This book covers a wide range of vehicles, each identified in detail: from the humblest motorcycle to the Horch staff car; from Opel ‘Blitz’, MAN Diesel, Mercedes, and Krupp trucks to the enormous Vomag 3LR 443 truck; as well as the many types of military ambulances seen in Spain during the war years. With more than 500 historic images—most of them previously unpublished—this volume is an unprecedented study of the vehicles used by the German contingent in the Spanish Civil War.

The tanks used during the Spanish Civil War are not often examined in any great detail, and are often labeled as little more than test vehicles in a convenient proving ground before World War II. But, with groundbreaking research, armor expert Steven J Zaloga has taken a fresh look at the tanks deployed in Spain, examining how future tanks and armored tactics were shaped and honed by the crews' experiences, and how Germany was able to benefit from these lessons while their Soviet opponents were not. Based on recently uncovered records of Soviet tankers in Spain and rare archival accounts, this book describes the various tanks deployed in Spain, including the PzKpfw I and the T-26.

The Condor Legion was the expeditionary force of soldiers and airmen sent by Hitler to aid Franco's Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War. The Germans used the war as an opportunity to develop equipment and tactics, and their force included not only instructors, but also combat units of artillery, tanks and aircraft. These units tested guns, tanks and planes and perfected techniques which were used in the 1940 Blitzkrieg. Many of officers prominent in the early campaigns of World War II won their first successes in Spain. This book details the Legion and its unique uniform and insignia.

“Recounts in considerable detail how Germany, Italy, and Soviet Russia intervened in Spain, supplying troops and equipment to the warring sides.” —ARMOR Magazine Although Spain had been for many years on the periphery of the great affairs of Europe, within a few months of the Civil War breaking out in 1936, three out of the four major European powers—Italy, Germany, and the Soviet Union—decided to intervene. Spain turned out to be the perfect proving ground to carry out controlled, realistic experiments with live weapons and troops. This book covers the theories of the three main contributors that provided armor to the warring parties in the civil war, how those contributions shaped combat, and how the lessons learned were then applied to tank combat in World War II. The use of tanks in the Spanish Civil War wedded traditional war to modern technology. The fighting in Spain did not offer any easy answers, however, to the question of infantry-armor cooperation, primarily because the tanks supplied were not very worthy and had been supplied in small numbers, even though the Republicans organized an “armored division.” The situation for the tanks on the Nationalist side was so bad in practical terms that they reused captured Russian armor in their units. Tank employment in Spain did offer many lessons, but the lessons did not always lie in what was done or accomplished but precisely on what was not done and was not accomplished. “Offers important insight into the employment of tanks during the war, lessons learned (or not learned) by the participating armed forces.” —Globe at War

This book is the first detailed look in English at the German Legion Condors motorized Flak Abteilung F/88 in the Spanish Civil War. Along with organiztional and operational histories, are detailed looks at flak guns, range finders, trucks and towing vehicles, and personalities.

The tanks used during the Spanish Civil War are not often examined in any great detail, and are often labeled as little more than test vehicles in a convenient proving ground before World War II. But, with groundbreaking research, armor expert Steven J Zaloga has taken a fresh look at the tanks deployed in Spain, examining how future tanks and armored tactics were shaped and honed by the crews' experiences, and how Germany was able to benefit from these lessons while their Soviet opponents were not. Based on recently uncovered records of Soviet tankers in Spain and rare archival accounts, this book describes the various tanks deployed in Spain, including the PzKpfw I and the T-26.

The Spanish Civil War, begun in July 1936, was a preliminary round of World War II. Hitler's and Mussolini's cooperation with General Franco resulted in the Axis agreement of October 1936 and the subsequent Pact of Steel of May 1939, immediately following the end of the Civil War. This study presents comprehensive documentation of Hitler's use of the upheaval in Spain to strengthen the Third Reich diplomatically, ideologically, economically, and militarily. While the last great cause drew all eyes to Western Europe and divided the British and especially the French internally, Hitler could pursu ...

This detailed military history of the Spanish Civil War dispels long-held misconceptions and sheds significant new light on the conflict. Spain in Arms chronicles the development of the Spanish Civil War on the battlefield, examining eight campaigns waged between 1937 and 1939. Through detailed analysis, it demonstrates how many accounts of military operations during this conflict are based upon half-truths and propaganda. From the Madrid Front to the Catalonia Offensive, each campaigns is chronicled with special focus on the weapons and tactics used, as well as the moment-to-moment decisions of both Republican and Nationalist generals. Hooton also sheds light on the true extent of foreign intervention in the conflict. Using British and French archives, he produces a more accurate—and radically different—account of the battles and the factors that shaped them. Ultimately, Hooton reveals the superiority of the Nationalist alliance in both training and overall command. Spain in Arms draws on specialized German, Italian and Russian works, and is the first book to quote secret data about Italian air operations intercepted by the British. A magisterial work of military history, it combines detailed analysis with historical context, showing how the events of the Spanish civil War provide a link between the First and Second World Wars.