Catalonia Offensive facts for kids
The Catalonia Offensive was a major part of the Spanish Civil War. It began on December 23, 1938. The Nationalist Army quickly took control of Catalonia. This included Barcelona, which was the capital city for the Republic at that time. Barcelona was captured on January 26, 1939.
After Barcelona fell, the Republican government and thousands of people fled towards the French border. Many were placed in internment camps in France. Francisco Franco, the Nationalist leader, closed the border with France by February 10, 1939.
Quick facts for kids Catalonia Offensive |
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| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
 Map of Spain in November 1938, just before the Catalonia Offensive. Republican areas are red, Nationalist areas are blue. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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| Strength | |||||||
| Thomas: 300,000 Beevor: 220,000 Jackson: 90,000 Thomas: 360 artillery pieces Beevor: 250 artillery pieces Thomas: 200 tanks and armoured cars Beevor: 40 tanks and armoured cars Thomas: 80 aircraft Beevor: 106 aircraft |
Jackson: 350,000 Beevor: 340,000 Thomas: 300,000 Beevor: 1,400 artillery pieces Thomas: 565 artillery pieces 300 tanks 500 aircraft |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| ? dead 10,000 wounded 60,000 captured 220,000 disarmed in France |
? dead ? wounded ? captured |
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Contents
Why the Offensive Happened
After a big battle called the Battle of the Ebro, the Republican Army was very weak. They had lost most of their weapons and experienced soldiers. Also, in October 1938, the Republican government sent away the foreign volunteers who had helped them. These were from the International Brigades.
Meanwhile, the Nationalists received new weapons and planes from Germany. After the Munich Agreement, it became clear that other European countries would not help the Republic against Germany and Italy. France had also closed its border and frozen the Republic's money in French banks. This left the Republic feeling very alone.
The Two Sides
Nationalist Forces
In December, the Nationalist side gathered a huge army of 300,000 to 340,000 soldiers. This group was called the Army of the North. It was led by General Fidel Dávila. They placed their best fighting groups all along the front line. This line stretched from the Pyrenees mountains to the Mediterranean Sea.
The Nationalists had many different units. These included Spanish divisions, Italian soldiers from the Cuerpo Legionario Italiano, and Moroccan troops. They also had about 300 tanks, over 500 aircraft (like the fast Bf 109E fighters), and 1,400 cannons.
Republican Forces
The Republicans had about 220,000 to 300,000 soldiers. Many of them did not even have rifles. General Juan Hernandez Saravia was in charge of their main army group. They had only 106 airplanes, 250 cannons, and 40 tanks. Many tanks were not working because they lacked spare parts.
The Soviet Union promised to send more weapons, but most of them arrived too late. The Republican areas also faced severe food shortages. People in Barcelona, for example, received very little food each day. This made the soldiers and civilians very tired and sad. They just wanted the war to end.
The Battle Begins
Nationalist Attack
The Nationalist attack was planned for December 10 but started on December 23. Italian and Navarrese troops crossed the Segre River. They broke through the Republican lines and moved forward quickly. However, Republican forces led by Enrique Líster stopped them on December 25.
On other parts of the front, Nationalist troops also advanced. But they faced strong resistance from Republican divisions. Heavy rains also made the Ebro River flood, slowing down some Nationalist units. The Republicans managed to stop the first attack. But they lost 40 aircraft in just the first ten days of fighting.
On January 3, the Nationalists attacked again. They captured important towns and crossed the Ebro River. The Republican army tried a surprise attack in another area to distract the Nationalists. But this attack failed after a few days. The Nationalist offensive in Catalonia continued.
By January 9, Nationalist forces broke through the northern part of the front. Republican units collapsed and retreated in chaos. On January 15, the Nationalists captured Cervera and Tarragona. At this point, the Nationalists had taken one-third of Catalonia. They had also captured 23,000 Republican soldiers and killed 5,000.
Barcelona Falls
The Republican government tried to defend Barcelona. They called up all men under 45 to join the army. They also put all factories under military control. But their defense lines quickly fell. The Nationalist forces greatly outnumbered the Republicans. Nationalist planes bombed Barcelona every day.
It became clear that defending the city was impossible. On January 22, Nationalist troops reached the Llobregat River, very close to Barcelona. Other Nationalist units attacked nearby towns. The Republican army chief, Rojo, told the prime minister that the front line no longer existed.
The government then left Barcelona. Many prisoners were released. A large part of Barcelona's population also fled the city. On January 26, the Nationalists finally entered and occupied Barcelona. For five days, there was disorder and harsh actions by some Nationalist troops.
The Retreat to France
After taking Barcelona, the Nationalist troops were tired. They slowed down their advance for a short time. But soon, they continued their attack. They chased the retreating columns of Republican soldiers and civilians.
On February 1, the Republican prime minister, Juan Negrín, suggested surrendering. He asked for two conditions: that the lives of the defeated would be respected, and that the Spanish people could vote on their future government. But Franco did not accept these terms.
On February 2, the Nationalists entered Girona. By February 3, they were within 50 kilometers of the French border. On February 8, they occupied Figueres. The Republican troops were ordered to withdraw to the French border.
Hundreds of thousands of Republican soldiers, women, children, and old people walked to the French border. They traveled on foot, carts, buses, and trucks. The weather was bitterly cold with sleet and snow. Republican army units covered their retreat, fighting small battles to slow down the Nationalists. Nationalist planes bombed the roads leading to France.
On January 28, the French government announced that civilians could cross the border. On February 5, Republican soldiers were also allowed to cross. Between 400,000 and 500,000 Republican refugees crossed into France. This included the president of the Republic, the prime minister, and the president of Catalonia.
By February 9, the Nationalists reached the border. On February 10, the last Republican units crossed into France. The Nationalists then sealed the border.
What Happened Next
Military and Political Changes
With Catalonia lost, the Republic lost its second-largest city. It also lost its important war factories and a large part of its army. More than 200,000 soldiers were gone. On February 2, the president of the Republic resigned. On the same day, France and the United Kingdom recognized Franco's government.
Further fighting became impossible for the Republic. The war was effectively lost, even though 30% of Spain was still under Republican control.
The special self-rule that Catalonia had was ended. The Catalan language, traditional Catalan dances, and even Catalan Christian names were forbidden. All Catalan newspapers were taken over. Forbidden books were removed and burned. Even memorials on tombs were taken down.
The Fate of Refugees
The Republican refugees who went to France were put into basic camps. These camps were often just fenced areas on the sand. They had very little shelter, toilets, or cooking facilities. Conditions were very tough. Many refugees died from illness or lack of food.
The French government encouraged refugees to return to Spain. By the end of 1939, between 70,000 and 180,000 refugees went back. However, about 300,000 never returned. Many sought new homes in other countries. These included Mexico, Argentina, the Soviet Union, the USA, Canada, and other European and Latin American nations.
About 140,000 refugees stayed in France. Another 19,000 went to French colonies in North Africa. When Germany occupied France during World War II, many refugees were sent to concentration camps. Others joined the French Resistance or the Free French Forces to fight against the Nazis.
See also
In Spanish: Ofensiva de Cataluña para niños
- Eastern Region Army Group (GERO)
- Camp de concentration d'Argelès-sur-Mer
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of weapons of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie
- Condor Legion
- Camí de la Retirada
Images for kids
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Map of Spain in November 1938, after the end of the Battle of the Ebro and immediately before the start of the Catalonia Offensive. Republican territory is in red, and Nationalist territory is blue.
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Spain after the conclusion of the Catalonia Offensive. Nationalist Spain is in gray and Republican Spain is in white.
