Juan Hernández Saravia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Hernández Saravia
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|---|---|
| Born | 24 July 1880 Ledesma, Salamanca, Kingdom of Spain |
| Died | 3 May 1962 (aged 81) Mexico |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain (1897–1931) Spanish Republic (1931–1933, 1936–1939) |
| Service/ |
Spanish Army Spanish Republican Army |
| Years of service | 1897–1933 1936–1939 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | Southern Army (1936) Levantine Army (1937) Eastern Region Army Group (1938–1939) |
| Battles/wars | Spanish Civil War |
Juan Hernández Saravia (born July 24, 1880 – died May 3, 1962) was an important Spanish military leader. He served the government forces during the Spanish Civil War.
Contents
Life and Military Career
Early Life and Training
Juan Hernández Saravia was born in 1880. His family had a tradition of military service. Following this tradition, he joined the artillery school in 1897. Artillery is a type of military weapon, like large cannons.
Opposing the Dictatorship
Later in his career, Juan Hernández Saravia did not agree with the dictatorship of Miguel Primo de Rivera. A dictatorship is when one person has total power and control over a country. He worked closely with Manuel Azaña, who was an important political leader. Hernández Saravia became the chief of Azaña's military staff. This meant he helped Azaña with military plans and decisions. He also worked as a general coordinator for the minister of war. In August 1936, he himself became the minister of war. However, he lost this job in September after a battle near Talavera de la Reina went badly.
Leading Armies in War
In 1937, Juan Hernández Saravia was put in charge of the Army of Levante. This was a large group of soldiers. He was the main commander for the Republican side during the Battle of Teruel. This was a very tough battle during the Spanish Civil War. In December 1937, he was promoted to the rank of general. This is a very high rank in the military.
Challenges in Catalonia
By 1938, the region of Catalonia became cut off from the rest of the Republican areas. This happened after the rebel forces pushed through Aragon. Hernández Saravia then led the Eastern Region Army Group. He commanded the Republican Army during the difficult Catalonia campaign. This was a major attack by the opposing side.
After the city of Barcelona fell on January 27, Hernández Saravia was removed from his command. Some said it was because he seemed to be losing hope. But the real reasons were more complicated. His ideas often clashed with other top leaders, like Vicente Rojo and Juan Negrín. He wanted to replace another commander, Juan Modesto, because he thought Modesto was not doing a good job. However, Modesto was protected by other powerful leaders.
Life in Exile
After the war ended and the government he served fell, Juan Hernández Saravia had to leave Spain. He lived in exile, first in France and then in Mexico. He stayed in Mexico until he passed away in 1962.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Hernández Saravia para niños
- Eastern Region Army Group (GERO)
