July 1936 military uprising in Melilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids July 1936 military uprising in Melilla |
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| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist rebels |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Maj. Gen.
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Col.
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 189 executed | Unknown | ||||||
The July 1936 military uprising in Melilla was a key event at the very start of the Spanish Civil War. During this uprising, rebel forces took control of important military bases in Spanish Africa. By July 18, they had overcome any officers who remained loyal to the government. People who supported the Second Spanish Republic were arrested or shot.
Contents
Why did the uprising happen?
One main goal of the Spanish coup of July 1936 was to take control of Spanish Morocco. This was because the Spanish Army of Africa was a very strong fighting force. It included Spanish regular soldiers, the Spanish Legion, and Moroccan fighters called Regulares.
Most of the officers in this army supported the plan to overthrow the government. They did not like the idea of a liberal democracy. Only a few officers, like General Manuel Romerales and General Gomez Morato, stayed loyal to the Republic. Also, Spanish workers in Morocco had no weapons and were cut off from the local Moroccan people.
The Uprising Begins
July 17: Melilla
The leader of the plot, Emilio Mola, had planned for the Army of Africa to revolt on July 18. However, Republican officers in Melilla found out about the plan on July 17. Because of this, Colonel Segui, the plot leader in Melilla, decided to start the uprising early. He arrested General Romerales.
The rebels quickly took over the radio station. They announced that a state of war had begun. Soldiers from the Legion, the Regulares, and the Assault Guards in Melilla joined the rebellion. They seized important buildings and stopped any resistance in the working-class areas. General Romerales, the mayor of Melilla, and others who resisted were shot. When General Morato found out about the uprising, he flew to Melilla. But he was arrested by the rebels as soon as his plane landed.
July 17: Ceuta and Tetuán
After securing Melilla, Colonel Seguí called Ceuta and Tetuán. He also sent a message to Franco, who was in Las Palmas. In Ceuta, Colonel Juan Yagüe Blanco and his soldiers took control. In Tetuán, Colonel Saenz de Buruaga and his troops did the same.
Rebel soldiers in Ceuta occupied the working-class neighborhoods. They killed important union leaders and the city's mayor. In Tetuán, the Foreign Legion took over the Casa del pueblo (People's House). They executed union officers and anyone found with weapons. Colonel Jan Luis Beigbeder also got support from the Grand Vizier of Tetuán, Mulay Hassan. Moroccan volunteers then began to join the rebellion.
July 18: The Uprising Spreads
In Larache, the uprising began early on July 18. There were some fights where several guards and two rebel officers were killed. But by morning, the rebels controlled the town. By mid-morning, the only places still resisting were the High Commissioner's home and the air force base in Tetuán.
The rebels threatened to bomb both locations. After a few hours, the defenders gave up to the Nationalists. All of them were executed, including the high commissioner and Major de la Puente Bahamonde, who was Francisco Franco's cousin. On the same day, workers in Tetuán and Melilla tried to start a general strike. However, the rebel troops quickly stopped them.
Nationalist Actions After the Uprising
In his secret orders for the coup, Mola had told his forces to "eliminate left-wing elements." This meant getting rid of communists, anarchists, and union members. On the very day of the uprising, all members of trade unions, left-wing parties, and anyone known to have voted for the Popular Front were arrested.
On the first night, the Nationalists executed 189 civilians and soldiers. By July 20, the Nationalists had opened their first prison camp in Melilla.
What happened next?
By July 18, the Spanish Army of Africa had taken control of all of Spanish Morocco. They had crushed all resistance. On the same day, Francisco Franco began the uprising in the Canary Islands. He then took a special plane to Casablanca in French Morocco. On July 19, Franco continued to Tetuán. There, he declared himself the chief of the Spanish Army in Morocco.
Most of the Republican Navy remained loyal to the government. These loyal ships patrolled the Strait of Gibraltar. This meant Spanish Morocco was cut off from the rebel-held cities in Andalusia, like Seville and Cadiz. However, with help from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, the Nationalists managed to move their troops to the mainland. This allowed them to begin their advance towards Madrid.
See also
In Spanish: Sublevación militar del 17 de julio de 1936 en Melilla para niños
- List of Spanish Nationalist military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
- List of Spanish Republican military equipment of the Spanish Civil War
