Posted by
Boris Tiraspolsky on Thursday, October 18, 2007 11:22:39 PM
The bombing of Guernica was the first urban terror in the 20th century. It was an aerial attack on April 26, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War by planes of the German Luftwaffe and Italian Fascists air force. The raid was called Operation Rügen and resulted in widespread destruction and civilian deaths in the Republican held town of Guernica, Basque Country.
"Useful Art" of Guernica (detail) by Pablo Picasso, 1937
"The story of Guernica is one in which Picasso's masterpiece readily proves that art matters enormously in our individual and collective lives. Far more than decoration, great art of every kindpainting, sculpture, literature, music, dance examines, reflects on, and makes sense of events that we otherwise struggle to understand. Art gives us a common language and common perspective with which to grieve and to celebrate, to express outrage and to offer hope." Russel Martin
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John Robb: The coming urban terror
The same factors that make our cities hubs of the global economy
also make them vulnerable to attack
For the first time in history, announced researchers this May, a majority of the world's population is living in urban environments. Cities – efficient hubs connecting international flows of people, energy, communications and capital – are thriving in our global economy as never before. However, the same factors that make cities hubs of globalization also make them vulnerable to small-group terror and violence.
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