Bombing of Durango facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bombing of Durango.
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Photo of the bombing taken by an Italian pilot.
Date 31 March 1937 Location Durango, Biscay, Spain Result The town of Durango was destroyed
Belligerents
Spanish Republic	Aviazione Legionaria Condor Legion
Commanders and leaders
?	?
Strength
Anti-aircraft artillery	He-51 and CR.32 fighters 9 SM.81 bombers
Casualties and losses
248–250 civilians dead	None

The Bombing of Durango happened on March 31, 1937. It was a terrible event during the Spanish Civil War. On that day, Nationalist forces began attacking the province of Biscay, which was controlled by the Republic. As part of this attack, planes from Italy (the Aviazione Legionaria) and Germany (the Condor Legion) bombed Durango. This town had about 10,000 people and was important for roads and railways. Around 250 people sadly lost their lives in this bombing.

What Led to the Bombing?

On March 31, 1937, the Nationalist forces started a big attack. Their goal was to take over the Vizcaya Province. This area was held by the Republicans. On the same day, the Nationalists also bombed the towns of Durango and Elorrio.

The Attack on Durango

Durango was a town of about 10,000 people. It was a very important place for roads and railways. These routes connected Bilbao to the front lines of the war. By bombing Durango, the Nationalists wanted to stop Republican forces. They aimed to prevent new soldiers and supplies from reaching the front. They also wanted to make it hard for Basque and Republican troops to retreat in an organized way.

Even though Durango was so important, it had no air defenses. There were also very few Republican fighter planes in the Basque region. This made the town an easy target for air attacks.

On March 31, German and Italian planes bombed Durango. These were transport planes, like the German Ju 52 and Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.81. They were changed to carry bombs. Planes from the Condor Legion (Germany) and the Aviazione Legionaria (Italy) bombed the town one after another.

During the bombing, two churches were hit while people were attending mass. This tragic event killed 14 nuns and the priest leading the service. German Heinkel He 51 fighter planes also shot at people trying to escape. In total, about 250 civilians died in the attack.

What Happened After?

About a month later, on April 28, Durango was taken over by the Nationalist side.

The Nationalists said they were not responsible for the bombing. They even claimed that the priest and nuns were killed by the "reds," meaning the Republicans.

The bombing of Durango was not as well-known in history. Instead, the bombing of Guernica became famous. Guernica was bombed four weeks later. That attack became a symbol of how terrible modern aerial warfare could be.

See Also

• Aviazione Legionaria
• Condor Legion
• List of aircraft of the Spanish Republican Air Force

In Spanish: Bombardeo de Durango para niños