Bombing of Alicante
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| The Market Bombing of Alicante 25 May 1938 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
 The current central market of Alicante | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain Aviazione Legionaria | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| ? | ? | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Anti-aircraft artillery |
7–9 Italian Sa-81 bombers | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
275–393 civilians dead 1,000 civilians injured | None | ||||||
One of the worst bombing attacks on civilian population in
Legionary Air Force, an expeditionary corps from the Italian Royal Air Force, allied with Franco. The attacking planes were based in Mallorca. It is even considered by many to be one of the deadliest aerial bombings of the entire Spanish Civil War
with many bombs dropped on a strictly civilian population with no military targets within a short amount of time. It was heavily reported by witnesses that the planes dove low shooting at civilians randomly.
Background
After the
Legion Condor to undertake indiscriminate bombings of the Republican cities. Valencia, Barcelona, Alicante, Granollers, and other Spanish town and cities were bombed.[1]
Bombing
On 25 May 1938, between seven and nine Italian
SM.81 bombers of the Aviazione Legionaria bombed Alicante. The bombers dropped ninety bombs and many of them fell on the central market and surrounding streets of the city. There were between 275 and 393 civilian deaths (100 men, 56 women, 10 children, and more than 100 unidentified bodies), and 1000 wounded.[2]
Preston said that there were several hundreds of civilians killed.
Aftermath
The bombings of Alicante and Granollers, and the attacks against British shipping provoked protests in London.[3]
References
- ^ Preston, Paul. Franco. Fontana Press. 1995. London. p. 307
- ^ es:Bombardeo del mercado central de Alicante
- ^ Preston, Paul. Franco. Fontana Press. 1995. London. p. 307
38°21′N 0°29′W / 38.350°N 0.483°W
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