Luis Castelló Pantoja facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Luis Castelló Pantoja
Born	1881 Guadalcanal, Spain
Died	27 September 1962 Guadalcanal, Spain
Allegiance	Kingdom of Spain  Spanish Republic
Rank	Major General Infantry
Commands held	• 2nd Infantry Brigade (1936) • Organic Division I (1936)
Battles/wars	Guerra Civil Española
Awards	Legion of Honor
Other work	Ministry of Defence (Spain)

Luis Castelló Pantoja (born in Guadalcanal, Spain, in 1881 – died there on September 27, 1962) was an important Spanish military general. He is known for his role during the Spanish Civil War. As a minister of war for the Republic in the early months of the war, he worked hard to bring order during a very difficult time after a military uprising in July 1936.

Biography

Early Life and the Second Republic

Luis Castelló Pantoja was the uncle of Juan Simeón Vidarte, who was a Socialist politician from the province of Badajoz. In 1934, he was one of three military leaders who met with government ministers. Their goal was to organize how to stop an uprising that had happened in Asturias.

Role in the Civil War

Starting the War

When the Spanish Civil War began, Castelló Pantoja was a brigadier general in the Infantry. He was in charge of the 2nd Infantry Brigade and the military commander of the city of Badajoz. He successfully prevented the Castile regiment from joining the rebellion, keeping them on the government's side.

He was promoted to lead Organic Division I, a large military unit. However, he never got to take command of it. On July 19, 1936, he moved to Madrid. He had to leave his wife and two daughters behind in Badajoz. They were later captured by the rebel forces when the city was taken over.

Minister of War

After arriving in Madrid, Castelló Pantoja was quickly made Minister of War. This happened in the government led by José Giral. He held this important position until August 6, 1936.

During his time as minister, he faced many challenges. The country was in a state of disorder, and it was hard to control everything. One military expert, Ramon Salas Larrazabal, noted that Castelló soon realized he was a minister in name only. Many decisions were being made by a smaller group within the Ministry.

Despite these difficulties, Castelló tried his best to organize the military efforts. He wanted to bring order to the areas controlled by the Republic. For example, on July 20, he put General Riquelme in charge of Organic Division I.

He also disagreed with a plan to invade Majorca by Captain Alberto Bayo. Castelló believed that the military forces were needed more to defend Madrid. He thought they should focus on the important areas of Zaragoza and Huesca on the Aragon front, which were almost defenseless. The invasion of Majorca later happened on August 16, 1936, and it was not successful.

Later Years in the War

After he resigned as Minister of War, Castelló Pantoja took over the military government of Madrid. However, he went through a very tough time. His brother was killed, and his wife and daughters were held captive by the rebels. These events caused him great distress, and he needed medical help.

After leaving the hospital, he found safety in the French embassy. He stayed there until the spring of 1937, when he moved to France.

Detention and Death

In 1942, during World War II, Castelló Pantoja was arrested by the Gestapo in France. The Gestapo was the secret police of Nazi Germany. He was then handed over to Francoist Spain, the government led by General Franco.

In Spain, he was put on trial and sentenced to death. He spent three years in prison. However, in 1946, he was pardoned, meaning his sentence was cancelled. After a long illness, Luis Castelló Pantoja passed away on September 27, 1962. He was with his daughters when he died.

See also

In Spanish: Luis Castelló para niños