Huesca Offensive facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Huesca Offensive
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Republican forces on the outskirts of Huesca, September 1936
Date 12 June, 19 June 1937 Location Near Huesca, Huesca province, Spain Result Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Spanish Republic International Brigades	Nationalist Spain
Commanders and leaders
Sebastián Pozas Máté Zalka  †
Units involved
Army of the East Rakosi Battalion
Strength
Casualties and losses
9,000 casualties

The Huesca Offensive was a military attack by the Republican army during the Spanish Civil War. It happened near the city of Huesca in Spain, from June 12 to June 19, 1937. The attack did not go as planned. A Hungarian writer and military leader named Máté Zalka was killed during this battle.

Why the Attack Happened

In April 1937, the Nationalist forces began a major attack. They moved towards the Biscay Province, which was controlled by the Republicans. By the end of May, Nationalist troops were close to Bilbao, an important city.

To try and stop this Nationalist advance, the Republican government decided to launch two new attacks. These attacks were meant to distract the Nationalist troops. One attack was planned for the Aragon front, and the other for the Madrid front. The Huesca Offensive was part of the plan for the Aragon front.

The Attack on Huesca

The Republican government chose to attack the city of Huesca. This city was held by the Nationalist forces. Before this attack, the Republican army in the Aragon area was reorganized. They formed a new group called the Army of the East.

General Pozas led this new army. They were joined by the XII International Brigade, led by General Lukacs. Four other brigades from the central front also joined them. The Republican forces had more soldiers than the Nationalists in Huesca. However, the Nationalist troops were well-protected in their positions. The Republican army also had very little artillery (large guns) or armored vehicles to help them.

The attack on Huesca began on June 12. General Lukács led the first wave of Republican troops. But the Republican soldiers had to cross open ground. This made them easy targets for the Nationalist machine guns and artillery. Many soldiers were lost. On the same day, General Lukács was hit by a Nationalist shell and died.

The Rakosi Battalion took part in this battle for the first time. It had 288 men. The battalion got stuck under heavy machine-gun fire. They lost a quarter of their soldiers. Their commander, Ákos Hevesi, and political leader, Imre Tarr, were both killed while leading their men.

On June 16, the Republican troops tried to attack the villages of Alerre and Chimillas. But the Nationalist soldiers fought them off. On June 19, the Nationalist forces successfully entered Bilbao. Because of this, the Huesca Offensive was stopped. The Republican army had tried for two more days, but their attacks had failed.

What Happened After

The Republican army suffered many losses in this offensive. Around 9,000 soldiers were killed or wounded. This failed attack, coming after other difficult events in Barcelona, made many Republican soldiers feel discouraged. It also increased distrust among the Republican troops in Aragon.

See also

In Spanish: Ofensiva de Huesca para niños

• List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
• List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War