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The Nationalists gained Guipuzcoa early in the war with the fall of ], ], ].<ref>], ''The Spanish Civil War'', (2001), p. 397</ref> The Nationalists gained Guipuzcoa early in the war with the fall of ], ], ].<ref>], ''The Spanish Civil War'', (2001), p. 397</ref>


The Basque Nationalist forces were reduced to the province of Vizcaya and its capital, Bilbao. Bilbao was defended by a series of fortifications called the "Iron Ring." Unfortunately, the Iron Ring was poorly designed for defense.<ref>Gabriel Jackson, pp. 380-384.</ref> Invading troops were helped by the treason of the engineer Goicoechea, designer of the defensive ring. The city bridges were destroyed to stop the ennemy, but the city survived relatively intact. By ] The Basque forces had fallen back to the city of ], which was defended by a series of fortifications called the "Iron Ring." Unfortunately, the Iron Ring was poorly designed for defense<ref>Gabriel Jackson, pp. 380-384.</ref> and was breeched by an infantry assault supported by heavy artillery bombardment. On the night of ] the defenders evacuated most of the civilian population from the city. On ] General Ulibarri withdrew his remaining troops from Bilbao and the Nationalists occupied the city on the following day. The city's bridges had been destroyed to hinder the invaders but the city remained mostly intact.




Revision as of 18:58, 27 December 2007

Battle of Bilbao
Part of the Spanish Civil War
LocationNorthern Spain
Result Decisive Nationalist victory
Belligerents
Spain Spanish Republic Spain Nationalist Spain
Strength
? ?
Casualties and losses
~? ~?
Spanish Civil War
July 1936 uprising / Revolution
1936
1937
1938
1939

The Battle of Bilbao was part of the War in the North, in the Spanish Civil War where the Nationalist Army conquered Bilbao and the part of the Basque Country still held by the Republic.

Bilbao was the capital of the autonomous Basque area established by the Republic after the war began. This establishment was in payment for Basque Nationalist support of the Republic. Not all Basques supported the Basque Nationalists, however.

The Basque people generally inhabit four provinces, Navarre, Alava, Guipuzcoa and Vizcaya. The Basque Nationalists were only dominant in the latter two provinces.

Navarre and Alava had rallied to the rising against the Republic.

The Nationalists gained Guipuzcoa early in the war with the fall of San Sebastián, September 13, 1936.

By June 11 The Basque forces had fallen back to the city of Bilbao, which was defended by a series of fortifications called the "Iron Ring." Unfortunately, the Iron Ring was poorly designed for defense and was breeched by an infantry assault supported by heavy artillery bombardment. On the night of June 13 the defenders evacuated most of the civilian population from the city. On June 18 General Ulibarri withdrew his remaining troops from Bilbao and the Nationalists occupied the city on the following day. The city's bridges had been destroyed to hinder the invaders but the city remained mostly intact.


Notes

  1. Gabriel Jackson, The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-1939 (1965), p. 384
  2. Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War, (2001), p. 397
  3. Gabriel Jackson, pp. 380-384.
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