José Cuesta Monereo facts for kids
José Cuesta Monereo (born December 5, 1895 – died October 7, 1981) was an important Spanish army officer. He is known for planning a major military uprising in Seville at the start of the Spanish Civil War. He worked closely with General Gonzalo Queipo de Llano during this time.
Biography
José Cuesta Monereo was born in Jaén, Spain. He began his military career as a cadet at the Academia de Infantería de Toledo in 1913. By 1920, he had become a captain in the general staff, which is like being a top planner for the army.
In 1921, he married Pilar Antolín Martínez, and they had four children. He also served in the Moroccan campaign between 1924 and 1925. People described him as a very smart and skilled leader.
In 1931, he worked as an aide-de-camp (a personal assistant) for General Miguel Cabanellas Ferrer. He traveled with Cabanellas to different military bases in Morocco and parts of Spain.
Role in the Spanish Civil War
In 1934, José Cuesta Monereo was sent to Seville. Here, he started to communicate with other generals, including Cabanellas and Queipo de Llano. They began to plan a military uprising by a group known as the Nationalists in Andalucía.
By February 1936, he was a commander in Seville. From April and May of that year, he was in charge of secretly planning how the military would take control of the Seville region. On July 18, he helped General Queipo de Llano arrest other officers. After this, Cuesta's plan to take control went forward.
He also helped write the Nationalists' public messages and announcements. He even wrote the official declaration of war for them. In September, he gave strict instructions to the press. These rules told newspapers to avoid reporting details about how the Nationalist rebels treated their political opponents. He also told them to make General Queipo de Llano's radio broadcasts sound less harsh.
Later, in December 1936, Cuesta Monereo became a lieutenant colonel. Queipo de Llano then made him the chief of staff for the Army of the South. He kept this important job for the rest of the Civil War. He was also the main link between General Queipo de Llano and General Francisco Franco, who was the leader of the Nationalists. Cuesta often traveled to Franco's mobile headquarters to share information and plans.
Later Career and Life
After the Civil War, José Cuesta Monereo continued his military education. In 1943, he took a senior command course. He became a brigadier general and held several important positions, including the second chief of the army general staff in 1947. That same year, he married Concha Antolín Martínez.
In 1949, he became chief of staff in Seville. In 1951, he was promoted to major general and became a special representative in Morocco. Two years later, he became the military governor of the Campo de Gibraltar area. During this time, when Queen Elizabeth II visited Gibraltar, the border at La Línea de la Concepción was closed.
In 1957, he was made captain general of the Balearic Islands. Finally, in 1959, he became a lieutenant general and chief of the central general staff. He retired from active duty in 1961.
José Cuesta Monereo passed away on October 7, 1981, in Madrid. He was buried in Seville.
Military Awards
- Cross of War Merit (1939)
- Grand Cross of the Order of Cisneros (1956)
- Grand Cross of the Aeronautic Merit with Distinction (1961)
- Grand Cross of the Military Merit with Distinction (1961)
- Grand Cross of the Naval Merit with Distinction (1961)
- Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of the Yoke and Arrows (1964)
See also
In Spanish: José Cuesta Monereo para niños
