Battle of Caspe facts for kids
The Battle of Caspe was an important fight during the Spanish Civil War. It happened on March 16–17, 1938, in a town called Caspe in Aragon, Spain. This battle was part of a bigger attack by the Nationalist forces called the Aragon Offensive. The Nationalists won this battle.
Quick facts for kids Battle of Caspe |
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| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| ? |  Fernando Barron Agustín Muñoz Grandes Bautista Sánchez |
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| Strength | |||||||
| XV International Brigade | three divisions | ||||||
Why the Battle of Caspe Happened
After a tough fight called the Battle of Teruel, the Republican Army in Aragon was very tired. They also didn't have enough good equipment.
In March 1938, a huge force of about 150,000 Nationalist soldiers began a big attack in Aragon. They also had more than 900 planes. This powerful attack broke through the Republican front lines.
Many Republican army units ran away. Their retreat quickly turned into a complete rout. However, some groups of soldiers bravely stayed and fought.
The Battle Itself
On March 9, the Nationalists moved forward 36 kilometers. The next day, March 10, they captured Belchite. This town had been defended by the XV International Brigade, a group of volunteer soldiers from different countries.
The Nationalists then pushed on towards Caspe. The main commander of the Republican army, Vicente Rojo, ordered his troops to set up a strong defense line. The town of Caspe was to be the center of this defense.
By March 16, three divisions of the Nationalist army surrounded Caspe. These divisions were led by Fernando Barrón, Agustín Muñoz Grandes, and Bautista Sánchez. The XV International Brigade was inside the town, defending it.
The Brigade fought with great courage for two days. But after very heavy fighting, Caspe finally fell to the Nationalists.
What Happened After the Battle
The Nationalists kept moving forward after their victory at Caspe. By April 3, they had captured another important city, Lérida. This showed how strong their attack was.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Caspe para niños
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
