Battle of Lopera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Lopera |
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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 | |||||||
 Karol Świerczewski |
Luis Redondo |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 3,000 international brigadists | 2,000 requetes 2,000 moroccan regulares and Spanish cavalry |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 300 dead 600 wounded |
200 dead | ||||||
The Battle of Lopera was a short but fierce fight during the Spanish Civil War. It happened between December 27 and 29, 1936. This battle was part of a larger plan by the Nationalist forces to take control of an important olive-growing area. The battle took place near the town of Lopera in Jaén, Spain. It ended with a victory for the Nationalist side.
Why the Battle Happened
In December 1936, a Nationalist general named Queipo de Llano started a plan to capture the olive-growing region around Andújar. This area was important for its resources. To stop this, the Republic sent a new group of soldiers called the XIV International Brigade. Their mission was to take back the town of Lopera, which the Nationalists had captured on December 24.
The Fight at Lopera
On December 27, the XIV International Brigade began their attack to get Lopera back. This brigade had about 3,000 soldiers. They were led by a commander known as General Walter, whose real name was Karol Świerczewski.
However, the brigade faced many challenges. They had not received much training and lacked proper communication tools like telephones. They also did not have support from airplanes or heavy artillery (big guns).
The Nationalist forces defending Lopera were strong. They had about 2,000 requetes, who were traditionalist soldiers, and 2,000 Moroccan regulares and Spanish cavalry. These forces were well-equipped with machine guns, mortars, and artillery.
The battle was very tough for the International Brigade. Nationalist machine gun fire and artillery caused heavy losses. After about 36 hours of fighting, the attack had to be stopped because of the severe casualties.
What Happened After
The XIV International Brigade suffered greatly in the battle. They lost around 800 men, with 300 soldiers killed. Among those who died were two English poets, John Cornford and Ralph Winston Fox. One company of English soldiers, out of 145 men, lost 78 of them.
After the battle, there were investigations into what went wrong. The commander of the French battalion within the Brigade, Gaston Delasalle, was arrested. He was accused of not being good at his job and of being a spy.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Lopera para niños
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
