War in the North
Encyclopedia
The War in the North, in the Spanish Civil War
was the campaign in which the Nationalist forces defeated and occupied the parts of northern Spain
that remained loyal to the Republican
government. The campaign included several separate battles. The Battle of Bilbao
resulted in the loss of the part of the Basque Country
still held by the Republic. This part of the campaign saw the Bombing of Guernica
and Durango. The Battle of Santander
caused the loss of the province of Santander in Cantabria
n Castile
for the Republic. The Battle of El Mazuco
lead to the capture of the Republican-controlled part of Asturias
and the fall of Gijón
, the Republic's last stronghold in the North, to the Nationalists. The campaign ended on October 27, 1937 with a decisive and total Nationalist victory.
and then San Sebastián
, in September 23, 1936, the Nationalists campaign in Gipuzkoa cut off the Republican controlled areas in northern Spain from the border with France. This area had been already isolated from the rest of Spain by large swaths of Nationalist controlled territory at the beginning of the war. This area was very attractive to the Nationalists because of the industrial production of Biscay
and the mineral resources of Asturias
. To conquer this area would gain these valuable resources, eliminate large numbers of Republican forces and make available large numbers of Nationalist troops tied down in a two front war. Franco realized that Madrid
, the capital, was not going to be conquered quickly. The iron, coal, steel and chemicals were a tempting target. The Republican north was also politically divided between Basque nationalists and leftists, and all its supplies came by sea. Franco ordered to his commanders in the Madrid front to go on the defensive and send all available resources to go to the north.
was in command of the start of this campaign, beginning on march 21, 1937; however, Mola, died in an airplane crash, June 3, 1937. The Nationalists began the attack with 50,000 men of the 61st Navarre Division under General José Solchaga
. The Republican Army of the North was commanded by General Francisco Llano de la Encomienda. This was the beginning of the Battle of Bilbao
.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
was the campaign in which the Nationalist forces defeated and occupied the parts of northern Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
that remained loyal to the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
government. The campaign included several separate battles. The Battle of Bilbao
Battle of Bilbao
The Battle of Bilbao was part of the War in the North, during the Spanish Civil War where the Nationalist Army captured the city of Bilbao and the remaining parts of the Basque Country still held by the Republic....
resulted in the loss of the part of the Basque Country
Basque Country (autonomous community)
The Basque Country is an autonomous community of northern Spain. It includes the Basque provinces of Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa, also called Historical Territories....
still held by the Republic. This part of the campaign saw the Bombing of Guernica
Bombing of Guernica
The bombing of Guernica was an aerial attack on the Basque town of Guernica, Spain, causing widespread destruction and civilian deaths, during the Spanish Civil War...
and Durango. The Battle of Santander
Battle of Santander
The Battle of Santander was fought over the summer of 1937 in the War in the North campaign in the Spanish Civil War. Santander's fall on September 1 assured the Nationalist conquest of the province of Santander and marked the last stand of the Republic's "Army of the North," which was destroyed...
caused the loss of the province of Santander in Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
n Castile
Old Castile
Old Castile is a historic region of Spain, which included territory that later corresponded to the provinces of Santander , Burgos, Logroño , Soria, Segovia, Ávila, Valladolid, Palencia....
for the Republic. The Battle of El Mazuco
Battle of El Mazuco
The Battle of El Mazuco was fought between 6 and 22 September 1937, between the Republican and Nationalist armies during the Spanish Civil War as a part of the War in the North campaign. The Republican defence of El Mazuco and the surrounding mountains halted the Nationalist advance into eastern...
lead to the capture of the Republican-controlled part of Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
and the fall of Gijón
Gijón
Gijón , officially Gijón / Xixón, is a coastal industrial city and a municipality in the autonomous community of Asturias in Spain. Early mediaeval texts mention it as "Gigia". It was an important regional Roman city, although the area has been settled since earliest history...
, the Republic's last stronghold in the North, to the Nationalists. The campaign ended on October 27, 1937 with a decisive and total Nationalist victory.
Introduction
With the fall of IrunIrun
Irun is a town of the Bidasoa-Txingudi region in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community, Spain...
and then San Sebastián
San Sebastián
Donostia-San Sebastián is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, in the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km away from the French border. The city is the capital of Gipuzkoa, in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. The municipality’s population is 186,122 , and its...
, in September 23, 1936, the Nationalists campaign in Gipuzkoa cut off the Republican controlled areas in northern Spain from the border with France. This area had been already isolated from the rest of Spain by large swaths of Nationalist controlled territory at the beginning of the war. This area was very attractive to the Nationalists because of the industrial production of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
and the mineral resources of Asturias
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
. To conquer this area would gain these valuable resources, eliminate large numbers of Republican forces and make available large numbers of Nationalist troops tied down in a two front war. Franco realized that Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, the capital, was not going to be conquered quickly. The iron, coal, steel and chemicals were a tempting target. The Republican north was also politically divided between Basque nationalists and leftists, and all its supplies came by sea. Franco ordered to his commanders in the Madrid front to go on the defensive and send all available resources to go to the north.
Beginning of the campaign
Emilio MolaEmilio Mola
Emilio Mola y Vidal, 1st Duke of Mola, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish Nationalist commander during the Spanish Civil War. He is best-known for having coined the term "fifth column".-Early life:...
was in command of the start of this campaign, beginning on march 21, 1937; however, Mola, died in an airplane crash, June 3, 1937. The Nationalists began the attack with 50,000 men of the 61st Navarre Division under General José Solchaga
José Solchaga
José Solchaga Zala was a Spanish general who fought for the Nationalists in the Spanish Civil War....
. The Republican Army of the North was commanded by General Francisco Llano de la Encomienda. This was the beginning of the Battle of Bilbao
Battle of Bilbao
The Battle of Bilbao was part of the War in the North, during the Spanish Civil War where the Nationalist Army captured the city of Bilbao and the remaining parts of the Basque Country still held by the Republic....
.
External links
- Juan Antonio de Blas, El Mazuco (La defensa imposible), in La guerra civil en Asturias, Ediciones Júcar, Gijón 1986 (pp369–383).
- La Guerra Civil en Cantabria
- Almirante Cervera log