Prior to the Condor Legion raid, the town had not been directly involved in the fighting, although Republican forces were in the area; 23 battalions of Basque army troops were at the front east of Guernica.
Antes do ataque da Lexión Cóndor, a cidade non participara directamente nos combates, aínda que as forzas republicanas se atopaban na zona; 23 batallóns do Exército Vasco estaban na fronte leste de Gernika.