Battle of Èbre

The battles of Èbre is the offensive large last of the republicans at the time of the Guerre of Spain in the Province of Tarragone.

Intention

At the beginning of 1938 the second Spanish republic was in difficulty. The Basque areas had fallen, POUM had been destroyed by the internal combat with the republican camp, and for much of foreign governments it was only one matter of time before the question of which would control Spain is solved in favor of the nationalists.

In answer to the situation, Spanish the Prime Minister Juan Negrín approved the plan of Vicente Rojo Lluch aiming at launching attacks against the principal nationalist forces advancing towards Valence. The goal was to relieve the pressure on Valence and the Catalogne. Another intention was to show with the close governments that the party of the republicans remained a viable alternative.

The battle

The battle begins on July 25th, 1938 when the republican forces directed by the colonel Juan Modesto launch an offensive on other side of the river Èbre. The beginning is a success but the nationalist troops, which had a better aerial cover (Legión Cóndor), push back the republicans. The battle lasts until November 16th, 1938.

The battle was carried out by the two camps as those of the First World War (face of the west) with frontal attacks which fail but by inflicting severe losses each one.

It was the last action of the international Brigades which were withdrawn on September 23rd in parallel with the Italian and German forces.

Continuation

The republican army is folded up on its starting positions but it is broken and will not cease losing ground until the end of the war.

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