Levante Offensive

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Levante Offensive
Part of the Spanish Civil War

Moroccan troops in Rubielos de Mora, 1938.
Date25 April – 24 July 1938
Location
East Central Spain
Result Republican victory[1]
Belligerents
 Spanish Republic  Nationalist Spain
 Italy
 Nazi Germany
Commanders and leaders
Gustavo Duran[2][5]
 Spain José Solchaga[5]
Spain José Enrique Varela[5]
Spain Rafael García Valiño
Spain Antonio Aranda
Mario Berti[5]
Strength
125,000[6] 125,000[6]
900–1,000 artillery[3][6]
400 aircraft[5]
Casualties and losses
5,000[7] 20,000[7]

The Levante Offensive, launched near the end of March 1938, was an attempt by Nationalist forces under Francisco Franco to capture the Republican held city of Valencia during the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalists occupied the province of Castellón, but the offensive failed due to bad weather and the dogged resistance of the Republican troops at the XYZ defensive line.

Background

Following the success of the

Italian allies expected a swift attack against Barcelona. Nevertheless, Franco decided to turn south against the capital of the Spanish Republic at Valencia,[9] because he feared French intervention in Catalonia, following the Anschluss.[10] Furthermore, he didn't want a swift end to the war, as he wanted a war of annihilation against the Republic in order to crush all opposition. Dionisio Ridruejo said that: "A long war meant total victory. Franco chose the crueller option which, from his point of view, was also more effective."[9]

Nationalist offensive

The Nationalist offensive started on 25 April, with General

Sierra de Espadán came close to the sea. With the fall of Castellón, the Nationalists had a Mediterranean harbor into which munitions and food could be brought to the Nationalists troops in this front.[12]

A view of Viver

The Nationalists were surprised by the resistance of the Republican forces, and General

army corps (Palacio's XVI Corps, Garcia Vallejo's XVII, Vidal's XIX, Duran's XX and Ibarrola's XXII, as well as Güemes's Group A and Romero's Group B) of General Leopoldo Menéndez's Army of the Levante.[13]

On 5 July, Garcia Valiño attacked from Castellón, but he was stopped by the Republican forces led by Colonel Gustavo Duran and General Menendez at the Sierra de Espadan.

Sarrion, the Republican line in the Sierra del Toro crumbled. The Nationalists then advanced 60 miles along a front of twenty miles wide until they were stopped by the XYZ Line fortifications running east and west from Viver into the Sierra de Espadan.[16]

Battle of XYZ line

Between 18 and 23 July these defenses, held by two Republican corps led by Colonels Ernesto Güemes and Carlos Romero, were successful in halting the Nationalist advance.[4] The Nationalists tried to break the republican defenses with waves of infantry and intense bombing raids,[15] but the Republican defenders through the use of well planned trenches and protected lines of communication[2] were able to inflict heavy casualties on the Nationalists (about 20,000 casualties),[4] suffering relatively few themselves (only 5,000 casualties).[15] On 23 July the offensive was halting[4] and the Republican offensive in the north on 24 July, the Battle of the Ebro, prevented any further assaults on the line by drawing away eight Nationalist divisions and their heavy artillery.[17] The Nationalist offensive ended less than forty kilometres from Valencia.[2]

Aftermath

According to Beevor, the defense of the XYZ Line was a far greater victory for the Republic than the Guadalajara.[15] The Nationalists occupied the province of Castellon, but failed to occupy Valencia[4] and suffered heavy casualties. The Republican Army had time to reorganize, and to plan the assault across the River Ebro.[18] Furthermore, the Republican forces in Catalonia had time to rearm with the weapons received across the French frontier, which reopened in March.[19]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. pages 347 and 429
  2. ^ a b c d e Preston, Paul. The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, Revolution & Revenge. Harper Perennial. 2006. London. p.287
  3. ^ a b Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. p. 808
  4. ^ a b c d e f Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. p. 812
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. p. 810
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.346
  7. ^ a b Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.348
  8. ^ Graham, Helen. The Spanish Civil War. A very short Introduction. Oxford University Press. 2005. p.98
  9. ^ a b c d Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.345
  10. ^ Preston, Paul. The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, Revolution & Revenge. Harper Perennial. 2006. London. p.286
  11. ^ Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. p. 808
  12. ^ Time Magazine, June 20, 1938, Brazen Attack
  13. ^ Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.486
  14. ^ Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. pp. 810
  15. ^ a b c d Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.347
  16. ^ Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. pp. 810-812
  17. ^ Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.352
  18. ^ Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006. p.349
  19. ^ Preston, Paul. The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, Revolution & Revenge. Harper Perennial. 2006. London. p. 285

Sources

  • Beevor, Antony. The Battle for Spain. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. London. 2006.
    ISBN 978-0-14-303765-1
    .
  • Preston, Paul. The Spanish Civil War. Reaction, Revolution & Revenge. Harper Perennial. 2006. London.
    ISBN 0-00-723207-1
  • Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London.
    ISBN 978-0-14-101161-5
  • ISBN 978-0-06-014278-0
    .

External links

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