Battle of Belchite (1937)

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Battle of Belchite

Map of the surroundings where the Battle of Belchite was developed with indication of initial and final situation

Date	August 24 - September 7, 1937
Location	Belchite, near Zaragoza, Spain
Result	Republican tactical victory

Combatants

Spanish Republic

Nationalist Spain

Commanders

Enrique Líster

Alfonso Trallero †

Strength

80,000 infantry
105 tanks
90 aircraft

7,000 infantry

Casualties

Unknown

Spanish Civil War
Alcázar – Gijón – Oviedo – Mérida – Mallorca – Badajoz – Sierra Guadalupe – Monte Pelato – Talavera – Cape Espartel – Madrid – Corunna Road – Málaga – Jarama – Guadalajara – Guernica – Bilbao – Brunete – Santander – Belchite – El Mazuco – Cape Cherchell – Teruel – Cape Palos – Ebro Chronology: 1936 1937 1938-39

Battle of Belchite was a group of military operations that took place in the Spanish Civil War between August 24 and September 7, 1937 nearby the town of Belchite, in the Aragon.

1 Prelude
2 Republican offensive
3 Nationalist counteroffensive
4 Aftermath
5 References

[edit] Prelude

Belchite: ruins of the old village

After failed attempts to capture Brunete, Republican military leadership decided to try new a new series of offensives to slow down the Nationalist advance in the north. A new campaign was therefore planned for Aragon. The decision wasn't based purely military reason but also political cause central government seen that as way to decrease anarchist and POUM influence in the region by bringing in communist troops and incorporating three anarchist division into newly designated Army of the East under command of general Sebastian Pozas. Another objective of the planned offensive was to take Zaragoza, capital of Aragon only few kilometers behind enemy lines. Capturing regional capital offered more than symbolic significance because it was also the communication center of whole Aragon front. The first year of the war in this part of Spain had emphasized that the possession of key town was of far greater importance than the control of wide areas of open countryside. The Nationalist had only three divisions 51st, 52nd and 105th spread across the 300 kilometers of front, with the majority of their troops concentrated in towns. General Pozas and his chief-of-staff Antonio Cordon set up their headquarters in Bujaraloz. Their plan was to break through at seven different points on the central 100 kilometre stretch between Zuera and Belchite. The object of splitting their attacking forces was to divide any Nationalist counter-attack and to offer fewer targets for bombing and stafing shuttles than at Brunete.

[edit] Republican offensive

Republican Army of East together with XI and XV international brigade started its offensive with 80,000 men, three squadrons of republican aviation with Polikarpov I-16 (moscas), Polikarpov I-15 (chatos) (90 planes in total) and 105 T-26 tanks in three main and 5 secondary directions on 100 kilometre stretch between Zuera and Belchite. On first two fronts (north and center) republican managed to take only vacant territories. On southern portion of the front republican army took village of Mediana immediately and Quinto was taken on fourth day of offensive. In village of Codo there were three Carlist companies that tied two republican brigades. Most fierce resistance was encountered in Belchite where 7,000 nationalist defenders resisted till September 7 in surrounded town when it was taken by republicans. These delays gave time to nationalist to bring reinforcements and full scale offensive to Zaragoza failed.

[edit] Nationalist counteroffensive

With five nationalist divisions of which two were retreated from Madrid front, artillery and 65 Fiat CR.32, Heinkel He-46, Savoia Sm-49 and Messerschmitt Bf-109 nationalist counter offensive started on August 30 and ended on September 6. Only nationalist success was shoting down 5 I-15, and nationalist were not able to break republican lines.

[edit] Aftermath

Although republicans gained some initial success and managed to push the front line 10km deeper into enemy lines, both main objectives of offensive failed, nationalist didn't postpone their big offensive on north, like they did before during Battle of Brunete and the capture attempt of Saragossa didn't succeed.