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| {{Infobox Military Conflict | {{Infobox Military Conflict | ||
| |conflict=Battle of Bilbao | |conflict=Battle of Bilbao | ||
| |image=Frente del Norte - Spanish Civil War (March-Sept 1937).svg | |||
| |image= | |||
| |caption=The Northern Front. Bilbao is on the left of the red area. | |||
| |caption= | |||
| |partof=the ] | |partof=the ] | ||
| |date= | |date= | ||
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| {{Campaignbox Spanish Civil War}} | {{Campaignbox Spanish Civil War}} | ||
| The '''Battle of Bilbao''' was part of the ], in the ] where the ] conquered ] and the part of the ] still held by the ]. | The '''Battle of Bilbao''' was part of the ], in the ] where the ] conquered ] and the part of the ] still held by the ]. | ||
| 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. | Bilbao was the capital of the ] 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, ], ], ] and ]. The Basque Nationalists were only dominant in the latter two provinces. | The Basque people in Spain generally inhabit four provinces, ], ], ] and ]. The Basque Nationalists were only dominant in the latter two provinces. | ||
| Navarre and Alava had rallied to the rising against the Republic.<ref>Gabriel Jackson, ''The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-1939 (1965), p. 384 </ref> | Navarre and Alava had rallied to the rising against the Republic.<ref>], ''The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-1939 (1965), p. 384 </ref> | ||
| 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> | ||
| By ] The Basque forces had fallen back to the city of ], which was defended by a series of fortifications called the "Iron |
By ] The Basque forces had fallen back to the city of ], which was defended by a series of rushed fortifications called the "]." Unfortunately, the Iron Belt was poorly designed for defense<ref>Gabriel Jackson, pp. 380-384.</ref> and the designer of the Belt, engineer ], defected to the Nationalists and brought them the plans of the defenses, so that they could strike at the weakest point <ref>], History of Biscay (1980).</ref>. The ring 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. | ||
| ==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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| </div> | </div> | ||
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Revision as of 16:50, 9 March 2008
| Battle of Bilbao | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Spanish Civil War | |||||
.svg) The Northern Front. Bilbao is on the left of the red area. | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
 Spanish Republic |
 Nationalist Spain | ||||
| Strength | |||||
| ? | ? | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| ~? | ~? | ||||
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 in Spain 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 rushed fortifications called the "Iron Belt." Unfortunately, the Iron Belt was poorly designed for defense and the designer of the Belt, engineer Alejandro Goicoechea, defected to the Nationalists and brought them the plans of the defenses, so that they could strike at the weakest point . The ring 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
- Gabriel Jackson, The Spanish Republic and the Civil War, 1931-1939 (1965), p. 384
- Hugh Thomas, The Spanish Civil War, (2001), p. 397
- Gabriel Jackson, pp. 380-384.
- Manuel Montero García, History of Biscay (1980).
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