Theo Young-Smith

So armies always have doctrines. So they will have a kind of idea of an ideal of what to do. They have a theory. But then once you put it into practice, you'd always adjust things. You'll see what works. Because the idea of speed and violence is very fascist, isn't it, I guess? It's very fascist, exactly.

So armies always have doctrines. So they will have a kind of idea of an ideal of what to do. They have a theory. But then once you put it into practice, you'd always adjust things. You'll see what works. Because the idea of speed and violence is very fascist, isn't it, I guess? It's very fascist, exactly.

And, of course, it's a product of technology, of the technological change, the fact that you now have mechanised units in a way that you didn't in the first place.

And, of course, it's a product of technology, of the technological change, the fact that you now have mechanised units in a way that you didn't in the first place.

And, of course, it's a product of technology, of the technological change, the fact that you now have mechanised units in a way that you didn't in the first place.

I think so. I think they're less side-bound by convention, maybe, because, of course, they've re-armed more recently. They've rebuilt their army more recently.

I think so. I think they're less side-bound by convention, maybe, because, of course, they've re-armed more recently. They've rebuilt their army more recently.

I think so. I think they're less side-bound by convention, maybe, because, of course, they've re-armed more recently. They've rebuilt their army more recently.

Exactly right. Exactly. And actually, this is their other great innovation that goes hand in hand with the Blitzkrieg tactics. So on the first day, the Germans throw 900 bombers and 500 fighters into action. Their air force, which is, as you say, is new, is one of the most modern in the world. They've honed their skills, as it were, in Spain, the Condor Legion.

Exactly right. Exactly. And actually, this is their other great innovation that goes hand in hand with the Blitzkrieg tactics. So on the first day, the Germans throw 900 bombers and 500 fighters into action. Their air force, which is, as you say, is new, is one of the most modern in the world. They've honed their skills, as it were, in Spain, the Condor Legion.

Exactly right. Exactly. And actually, this is their other great innovation that goes hand in hand with the Blitzkrieg tactics. So on the first day, the Germans throw 900 bombers and 500 fighters into action. Their air force, which is, as you say, is new, is one of the most modern in the world. They've honed their skills, as it were, in Spain, the Condor Legion.

And they've pretty much won the battle for the skies by day two, wiped the Polish air force in the skies, bombed their aerodromes. You know, they command the heavens. Now, this thing about bombing, I think, is really important and is a very obvious difference with the First World War.

And they've pretty much won the battle for the skies by day two, wiped the Polish air force in the skies, bombed their aerodromes. You know, they command the heavens. Now, this thing about bombing, I think, is really important and is a very obvious difference with the First World War.

And they've pretty much won the battle for the skies by day two, wiped the Polish air force in the skies, bombed their aerodromes. You know, they command the heavens. Now, this thing about bombing, I think, is really important and is a very obvious difference with the First World War.

So we've talked a few times in this series about how commentators everywhere in Europe in the 1930s were obsessed with bombing. So the bomber will always get through. Civilians will pay the price if there's ever a future war. And this is the great demonstration of bombing's potential, even more so, actually, than Guernica, which had previously been the most famous kind of object lesson.

So we've talked a few times in this series about how commentators everywhere in Europe in the 1930s were obsessed with bombing. So the bomber will always get through. Civilians will pay the price if there's ever a future war. And this is the great demonstration of bombing's potential, even more so, actually, than Guernica, which had previously been the most famous kind of object lesson.

So we've talked a few times in this series about how commentators everywhere in Europe in the 1930s were obsessed with bombing. So the bomber will always get through. Civilians will pay the price if there's ever a future war. And this is the great demonstration of bombing's potential, even more so, actually, than Guernica, which had previously been the most famous kind of object lesson.

So that's in Spain, in northern Spain. So Guernica in Spain, in the Basque country, Probably, historians now think probably about 300 people died at Guernica, civilians. These were greatly inflated figures at the time. But in Poland, it's on a completely different scale. It's interesting. It's a sign of our blinkeredness, I guess, that we...

So that's in Spain, in northern Spain. So Guernica in Spain, in the Basque country, Probably, historians now think probably about 300 people died at Guernica, civilians. These were greatly inflated figures at the time. But in Poland, it's on a completely different scale. It's interesting. It's a sign of our blinkeredness, I guess, that we...

So that's in Spain, in northern Spain. So Guernica in Spain, in the Basque country, Probably, historians now think probably about 300 people died at Guernica, civilians. These were greatly inflated figures at the time. But in Poland, it's on a completely different scale. It's interesting. It's a sign of our blinkeredness, I guess, that we...