The Spanish Civil War Was the Crucible in Which World War 2 Air Power Was First Tested

The Spanish Civil War is often - rightly - referred to as the testing ground for the tactics and technologies that would be vital in the first years of the Second World War. Through non-participation, Britain and France failed to see many of the essential lessons. Through purges and poor analysis, the Soviets failed to capitalise on the lessons that their pilots had paid for with their lives. The Luftwaffe, as we all know, did not make those mistakes. This video looks at some key air power lessons from the Spanish Civil War. It also tells some of the story of the Spanish Air Force before the war, how it formed its doctrine and how it developed over the course of a conflict that shaped European history. Because there is a great deal more to say about the Spanish Civil War, I've added three articles about the early history of the Spanish Air Forces to my new companion website that supports the channel: www.notapound.com.