Italian occupation of Majorca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Majorca
Majorca
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| Italian-occupied territory | |||||||||
| 1936–1939 | |||||||||
.svg) Flag
 Coat of arms
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 The Balearic Islands during the Spanish Civil War. Majorca is the large central island. Light blue: Italian / Spanish Nationalist-occupied territory. Grey: Spanish Republican-occupied territory. |
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| Capital | Palma | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Type | Occupation | ||||||||
| Proconsul | |||||||||
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• 1936
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Arconovaldo Bonaccorsi | ||||||||
| Historical era | Interwar period | ||||||||
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• Established
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1936 | ||||||||
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• Disestablished
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1939 | ||||||||
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The Italian occupation of Majorca happened during the Spanish Civil War. Italy got involved in the war because it wanted to take over the Balearic Islands and Ceuta. It also hoped to create a friendly government in Spain that would follow its lead.
The Balearic Islands were important because they were in a key location. From there, Italy could block communication lines used by France (to its colonies in North Africa) and by Britain (between Gibraltar and Malta). Italian flags flew over Majorca. Italian soldiers controlled the island, running airfields in Alcúdia and Palma. Italian warships also used Palma's harbor.
Contents
Italy's Role in Majorca
Before Italy fully joined the war, its leader, Benito Mussolini, sent "volunteers" to Spain. This led to the largest Balearic island, Majorca, being taken over. The force was led by a Fascist Blackshirt leader named Arconovaldo Bonaccorsi, also known as "Count Rossi."
Bonaccorsi was sent to Majorca to act as Italy's representative, or proconsul, in the Balearics. He announced that Italy would keep the island forever. He also started a harsh rule, ordering the killing of many people accused of being communists. After the Battle of Majorca, Bonaccorsi renamed the main street of Palma de Majorca Via Roma. He also decorated it with statues of Roman eagles. Italy later rewarded Bonaccorsi for his actions in Majorca.
Air Raids from Majorca
Italian forces used Majorca as a base to launch air raids. They attacked cities on mainland Spain that were controlled by the Republican government. At first, in 1936, Mussolini only sent a small number of Italian bomber planes to Majorca. He did this to avoid upsetting Britain and France.
However, Britain and France did not strongly oppose Italy's actions. This encouraged Mussolini to send twelve more bombers to Majorca. One of these planes was even flown by his son, Bruno Mussolini. By January 1938, Mussolini had doubled the number of bombers on the islands. He also increased air attacks on ships heading to support the Spanish Republican forces. France saw this increase in Italian bombers and attacks as a challenge.
Negotiations and Land Deals
According to historian Manuel Aguilera, the struggling Republican government tried to talk to Italian diplomats in 1937. They hoped to convince Italy to stay neutral. Italy had some conditions for this:
- They wanted Spanish Morocco.
- They asked for 100 million dollars to cover their war costs.
- They wanted to settle 100,000 Italians in the Balearic Islands. They also wanted to settle a similar number in mainland Spain, plus one or two air bases.
This last condition was the most acceptable to Luis Araquistáin, who was the Republic's ambassador to France. In 1950, former minister Federica Montseny remembered that the government thought about offering the Balearic or the Canary Islands to Nazi Germany.
In 1938, the Italian Ministry of Finances bought a large piece of land in the S'Albufera area of Majorca. They did this through a company called Celulosa Hispánica.
Italian Withdrawal
After Franco's side won the Spanish Civil War, Mussolini ordered all Italian forces to leave Spain. This order came on April 11 or 12, 1939, just a few days after Italy's conquest of Albania in the Balkans. Mussolini gave this order because he was annoyed by Germany's quick success in invading Czechoslovakia in 1939. He wanted to get Italy ready to make similar conquests in Eastern Europe.
See also
In Spanish: Presencia militar italiana en Mallorca para niños
