Condor Legion
| Legion Condor Condor Legion | |
|---|---|
Standard of the Condor Legion
|
|
| Active | July 1936 – March 1939 |
| Country |
 Nazi Germany
|
| Allegiance |
 Nationalist Spain
|
| March | Parademarsch der Legion Condor |
| Engagements | Spanish Civil War |
| Decorations | Spanish Cross |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Hugo Sperrle Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma |
| Insignia | |
| Wing roundel |  |
| Fuselage roundel |  |
| Fin flash |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | |
| Bomber | |
| Fighter | |
| Reconnaissance | Heinkel He 70 |
| Transport | Junkers Ju 52 |
The Condor Legion (German: Legion Condor) was a unit composed of military personnel from the air force and army of Nazi Germany, which served with the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War of July 1936 to March 1939. The Condor Legion developed methods of terror bombing which were used widely in the Second World War shortly afterwards. The bombing of Guernica was the most infamous operation carried out by the Condor Legion. Hugo Sperrle commanded the unit's aircraft formations and Wilhelm Ritter von Thoma commanded the ground element.
Following the military coup in Spain at the start of the Spanish Civil War, the Spanish Second Republic turned to the Soviet Union and France for support, and the nationalists requested the support of Hitler's Germany and fascist Italy. The first request for German aircraft was made on 22 July, with an order for 10 transport aircraft. Hitler decided to support the nationalists on 25 or 26 July, but was wary of provoking a Europe-wide war. The Reich Air Travel Ministry concluded that nationalist forces would need at least 20 Junkers Ju 52s, flown by Luft Hansa pilots, to carry the Army of Africa from Spanish Morocco to Spain. This mission became known as Operation Magic Fire (German: Feuerzauber). The joint Spanish-German "Spanish-Moroccan Transport Company" (Spanish: Companía Hispano-Marroquí de Transporte, HISMA) and an entirely German company, the Raw Materials and Good Purchasing Company (German: Rohstoffe-und-Waren-Einkaufsgesellschaft, ROWAK) were established. This involvement was kept covert, hidden from both foreign and economic ministries, and funded with three million Reichmarks.
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