Siege of Gandesa (1938) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Gandesa
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Date 31 July – November 1938 Location Gandesa, Catalonia, Spain Result Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Spanish Republic International Brigades	Nationalist Spain Aviazione Legionaria Condor Legion
Commanders and leaders
Vicente Rojo Juan Modesto Manuel Tagüeña	Francisco Franco Fidel Davila Juan Yagüe Rafael García Valiño
Strength
XV Corps XV International Brigade	50th Division Regulares Spanish Legion Falangists
Casualties and losses
high	high

The siege of Gandesa was a major battle during the Spanish Civil War. It happened between July and November 1938 in the town of Gandesa, Spain. This battle was the second time fighting took place in Gandesa that year.

What Was the Siege of Gandesa?

The Siege of Gandesa, also known as the second battle of Gandesa, was a big part of the Battle of the Ebro. The Spanish Republican Army wanted to take back land they had lost. They managed to cross the Ebro River with six strong army divisions.

This move surprised the opposing side, called the Nationalists. But the Nationalists quickly brought in many more troops. These reinforcements came from Lleida and included special forces like Regulares, the Spanish Legion, and Falangists.

Fighting for the Town of Gandesa

The main attack on Gandesa was led by the 35th Division of the 15th Republican Army Corps. This group was commanded by Manuel Tagüeña. Other divisions also joined the fight as the siege continued. These included the 3rd, 11th, 43rd, 45th, and 46th divisions.

The XV International Brigade also took part. This group had fought bravely in the first Battle of Gandesa a few months earlier. This siege would be their last battle in Spain.

After some early success, the Republican attack did not go as planned. The battle lines became fixed. They stretched from Serra de Pàndols in the west, through Gandesa and Vilalba dels Arcs, to the Serra de Cavalls and north to Serra de la Fatarella.

The Nationalist 50th Division defended Gandesa. Republican troops attacked the town many times. The wall of the local graveyard saw a lot of the fighting.

Franco's Strategy and the Outcome

Francisco Franco, the Nationalist leader, wanted to get the lost land back at any cost. His generals, García Valiño, Yagüe, and Aranda, suggested holding their current positions. They thought it would be better to attack Barcelona in the north instead.

But Franco disagreed. He decided to keep attacking the Republican lines head-on. This caused many casualties on his own side. General Aranda compared the slow progress at Gandesa to two rams fighting without moving forward.

Franco believed that if he could defeat the Republican Army in this area, they would not have enough soldiers to continue the war. He knew he had a large part of their army trapped along a 35-kilometer line.

After many months of fighting, the Nationalists gained control of the high ground in the Pàndols and Cavalls ranges by November 2. By November 10, all Republican positions south of the Ebro River were abandoned. The Republican troops had to retreat quickly.

Both sides suffered very heavy losses. The Nationalist armies could replace their soldiers. However, the Republican military could not recover from such huge losses. This battle was a major turning point in the war.

See also

In Spanish: Asedio de Gandesa para niños