Spanish civil war greatest battles

Spain, 1936. A part of the Spanish army of the protectorate in Morocco rises in arms against the Spanish republic. And, like pieces of a domino, several garrisons in the peninsula joins the rebellion. Sevilla was taken over by general Queipo de Llano.

After the military uprising, all Toledo city remains republican, except El Alcazar, in the center of the city. Colonel Moscardo , on 22 of July of 1936 closes the doors of El Alcazar with 1,800 people inside waiting for Franco's troops.

Madrid, like almost all the great cities, remained loyal to the republic. On 27 September Madrid suffered the first aerial bombardment by Franco's troops, and the national army approaches the suburbs of the capital.

The tremendous resistance of Madrid ends in one of the most violent episodes of the civil war: Paracuellos del Jarama. The capital of Spain, against all odds, has resisted.

In a tactical maneuver to isolate Madrid, the national army begins its offensive to the southeast of Madrid, to cut off the Madrid-Valencia road, cutting the main supply of ammunition, food and men to the capital.

Madrid is the main target of the national troops. In March 1937, with the help of the italian troops of general Roatta, the national armys advanced towards the capital by the northeast.

April 1937. The decisive campaign of the north begins. The national troops intend to take Bilbao in three weeks. The north coast remains, except Galicia and Guipuzcoa, in the hands of the Republic

In July 1937, the republican troops prepare a distraction maneuver in Brunete, on the southwest of Madrid, to stop the national advance in the north of Spain. But Brunete can't save Bilbao, but he could save Santander.

August 1937. The nationals are about to enter Santander and the republicans prepare a new offensive of distraction in the Aragon front, only a few miles from Zaragoza.

December, 1937. More than 100,000 Republican soldiers advance toward the city of Teruel, a small town with any strategic value. It was the hardest battle because of the icy winter.

July 1938. Republican troops await the signal to cross the river Ebro in one of the most brilliant maneuvers of the whole war, with over 80,000 men in a quick maneuver, overflowing the national lines.

In October 30th, 1938 begins the final counteroffensive in the Ebro river. As Republican troops retreat, the national infantry begin the definitive assault.

December 1938. Franco orders the beginning of the offensive on Catalonia, concentrating the best troops of its army ready to action in the Ebro river.

April 1, 1939. As national propaganda proclaimed: Today, captive and disarmed the red army, the national troops have achieved its last military objectives. The war is over.

The rear lines in any war are often more cruel than the battlefield itself. The the bombing raids on cities and towns as well as the political persecutions and revenges in rearguard cause even more deaths than the combats themselves.