Extremadura campaign facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Extremadura campaign |
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| Part of Spanish Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain Regulares Spanish Legion Aviazione Legionaria Nazi Germany |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Ildefonso Puigdendolas |
Juan Yagüe Carlos Asensio Antonio Castejón Fernando Barron |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 13,000 militiamen some Breguet XIX bombers |
8,000 regulars 17 medium bombers |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown military dead 6,600–12,000 militiamen and civilians shot |
Unknown military dead 243 civilians shot |
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The Extremadura campaign was an important military operation during the Spanish Civil War. It took place in Extremadura, a region in western Spain. This campaign ended with the Battle of Badajoz in August 1936. After this battle, the Nationalist troops, led by Francisco Franco, quickly moved towards Madrid, the capital city.
Contents
Why the Campaign Happened
After the Popular Front won the elections in February 1936, the new government promised to change how land was owned. Many farmers in Spain didn't own land and struggled to find work. On March 25, 1936, about 60,000 landless farmers in Badajoz province took over farms. They were led by a farmers' union called the Federación Nacional de Trabajadores de la Tierra (FNTT). The government then made these land occupations legal. By June 1936, around 190,000 landless farmers had settled on land in southern Spain. Many landowners left their farms and moved to cities.
In August 1936, the Nationalists, with help from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, brought thousands of soldiers from the Spanish Army of Africa to mainland Spain. Francisco Franco decided to move north and take control of Extremadura. His goal was to connect the two areas of Spain that the Nationalists already controlled. This would also open a path for them to advance towards Madrid. The military uprising in July 1936 had succeeded in Caceres province, but the armed forces in Badajoz province remained loyal to the government.
Who Was Fighting
Nationalist Forces
The Nationalists had about 8,000 soldiers from the Spanish Army of Africa. Most of these were members of the Spanish Legion and the Regulares (Moroccan soldiers). They were also supported by Requetes from Andalusia. Their leader was Colonel Juan Yagüe.
This force was divided into five motorized groups, each with about 1,500 men. Each group included a bandera (a unit) of the Legion and a Tabor (another unit) of Regulares. They also had one or two artillery batteries with 75mm guns. These groups were led by colonels José Asensio, Francisco Delgado Serrano, Fernando Barron, Heli Rolando Tella, and Major Antonio Castejón.
The Nationalists also had air support. They had eight Italian Sa-81 bombers flown by Italian pilots. They also had nine German Junkers Ju 52 planes flown by German pilots. For fighter planes, they used CR.32 and He-51 aircraft.
Republican Forces
The Spanish Republican Army had about 13,000 militiamen and soldiers. Most of these were militiamen, who were regular citizens fighting for the Republic. For example, in the city of Badajoz, there were 500 soldiers and 2,000 militiamen.
The Republican militiamen were not well-trained for military combat. They also had very few weapons. There was only one rifle for every three men, and one machine gun for every 150–200 men. They often didn't dig trenches or prepare good defensive positions. Air attacks caused a lot of fear among these farmers-turned-soldiers. They also lacked artillery, barbed wire, and experienced military officers.
The FARE had problems too. They didn't have enough fuel, spare parts, or trained pilots. Most of their planes were 15-year-old Breguets, which were slow and didn't have front-facing guns. They also had outdated Ni-52 fighter planes.
The Advance
On August 2, the Nationalist forces left Seville and moved north towards Mérida and Badajoz. When the Nationalist troops reached a town, they would first bomb it with artillery and planes for about half an hour. After that, the legionaries and regulares would enter the town. If there was any resistance, they would attack.
The Republican militiamen fought bravely as long as they had ammunition. But if the Nationalists tried to surround them, the militiamen would often retreat. In many towns, Nationalist forces killed people who were leaders of left-wing groups or anyone who seemed to have fought against them. Thousands of people who supported the Republic fled north to escape the Nationalists.
Historian Helen Graham explained that the Nationalist army used force and fear against the people who supported the Republic, especially the farmers who didn't own land. She described it as a fight to undo the land reforms the Republic had started. Landowners often rode with the Army of Africa to take back the land that the Republic had given to the poor. Many rural workers were killed. More than half of the people killed by the Nationalists in Badajoz were landless farmers and day laborers.
On August 5, the Nationalists defeated a group of militiamen and Guardias de Asalto at Los Santos de Maimona. On August 7, Nationalist troops took control of Zafra. They then reached Almendralejo, where about 100 militiamen defended themselves in the town's church for a week under heavy shelling. On August 14, the 40 remaining survivors surrendered and were killed by the Nationalists.
On August 10, the Nationalists won the Battle of Mérida. After this victory, Yagüe turned his forces west and advanced towards the city of Badajoz. On August 14, after a strong bombing, Yagüe’s troops won the Battle of Badajoz. During the Massacre of Badajoz, Yagüe's troops killed between 500 and 4,000 Republican soldiers and civilians. They also took goods from the city, even from shops and homes of people who supported the Nationalists. Many Republican refugees tried to escape into Portugal, but the Portuguese government handed them over to the Nationalists, who then killed them.
What Happened Next
After taking Mérida and Badajoz, the Nationalists successfully connected their northern and southern controlled areas. The Republican government also lost control of the border with Portugal. The Nationalists carried out harsh actions in the areas they had conquered. Between 6,600 and 12,000 Republican supporters were killed by the Nationalists. (In comparison, the Republicans had killed 243 Nationalist supporters).
After Badajoz fell, Yagüe turned his forces east and pushed towards Madrid. He defeated the Republican troops in the Battle of the Sierra Guadalupe. On September 3, he took control of Talavera de La Reina after defeating the Republican militiamen there. Yagüe had advanced 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) in just four weeks, and the path to Madrid was now open for the Nationalists.
See also
In Spanish: Campaña de Extremadura para niños
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
