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| Teruel (1937–1938) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Teruel (1937–1938) |
| Conflict | Spanish Civil War |
| Date | December 1937 – February 1938 |
| Place | Teruel, Aragon |
| Result | Nationalist Spain victory |
| Combatant1 | Second Spanish Republic; International Brigades |
| Combatant2 | Nationalist Spain; Italian Corps |
| Commander1 | Vicente Rojo Lluch; Juan Negrín; Modesto; Enrique Líster |
| Commander2 | Francisco Franco; Juan Yagüe; Miguel Cabanellas; Gonzalo Queipo de Llano |
| Strength1 | ~100,000 |
| Strength2 | ~150,000 |
| Casualties1 | ~40,000–60,000 |
| Casualties2 | ~30,000–50,000 |
Teruel (1937–1938) was a major episode of the Spanish Civil War in which Republican and Nationalist forces fought for control of the city of Teruel and the surrounding Aragon front between December 1937 and February 1938. The battle involved bitter urban combat, harsh winter conditions, significant use of artillery and aviation, and marked a turning point that favored Francisco Franco's Nationalist Spain forces despite costly gains for both sides. The engagement drew in units and leaders from across the conflict, influencing subsequent campaigns such as the Aragon Offensive and shaping international perceptions of the war.
In late 1937 the Second Spanish Republic leadership, including Juan Negrín and chief of staff Vicente Rojo Lluch, sought to reverse momentum after setbacks at the Battle of Santander and Battle of Bilbao and to alleviate pressure on the Madrid sector by attacking at Teruel, a rail and road junction in Aragon held by Nationalist Spain commanders including Miguel Cabanellas and elements loyal to Francisco Franco. The operation was planned amid strained Republican relations with the International Brigades, the Communist Party of Spain, and republican generals such as Modesto and Enrique Líster, while Nationalist forces mobilized contingents including the Regulares and the Spanish Foreign Legion, as well as detachments from the Corpo Truppe Volontarie and support from the Condor Legion. The strategic gamble was meant to disrupt Nationalist logistics between Zaragoza and Valencia and to influence international mediators like representatives of the Non-Intervention Committee.
The siege began with a surprise Republican offensive in December 1937, directed by commanders such as Vicente Rojo Lluch and field leaders including Vicente Rojo's subordinates and division commanders like Valentín González "El Campesino". Republican troops, reinforced by units of the International Brigades and divisions under Enrique Líster, encircled Teruel and assaulted city defenses manned by Nationalist officers including Juan Yagüe and battalions of the Spanish Foreign Legion and Regulares. Urban fighting involved street-to-street confrontations, counterattacks, and artillery bombardments from both Republican artillery batteries and Nationalist artillery formations supported by armor and the Aviation of the Spanish Republican Air Force and the Aviation of the Nationalist faction including elements of the Condor Legion.
Republican formations included regular divisions under Modesto, Enrique Líster, and commanders associated with the Popular Front, aided by foreign volunteers of the International Brigades such as the XI International Brigade and the Twelfth International Brigade, and political figures like leaders from the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party and the Communist Party of Spain. Nationalist forces were commanded by figures loyal to Francisco Franco, including Juan Yagüe, Miguel Cabanellas, and division leaders drawn from the Army of Africa, the Spanish Foreign Legion, and right-wing factions connected to Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las JONS. Both sides used specialized units: Republican engineer detachments, Nationalist armored columns, and aerial support from the Condor Legion and Italian Aviazione Legionaria.
Initial Republican assaults in December seized parts of Teruel after intense fighting and the wounding and evacuation of some Nationalist commanders; Republican forces entered the city center, leading to a protracted siege with brutal winter weather that caused frostbite and supply difficulties. Nationalist counteroffensives in January and February, organized under generals such as Juan Yagüe and supported by reinforcements from Zaragoza and Madrid-reassigned units, gradually isolated Republican attackers; key operations included artillery barrages, counterattacks to retake strategic heights, and air interdiction by the Condor Legion and Italian Aviazione Legionaria. The fighting featured engagements at surrounding elevations, failed Republican relief attempts, and the eventual Nationalist recapture of the city, culminating in a withdrawal of Republican forces toward Valencia and the collapse of Republican positions on the Aragon front.
The battle inflicted heavy casualties among combatants and severe suffering for civilians in Teruel and nearby towns such as Cantavieja and Alcañiz, exacerbated by winter exposure, shortages of food and medicine, and bombardment of civilian areas by both Republican and Nationalist artillery and air strikes from the Condor Legion. Prisoners, executions, and reprisals followed in occupied zones, affecting supporters of the Popular Front and of Nationalist Spain alike; hospitals, churches, and municipal buildings were damaged or repurposed, and refugee flows shifted populations toward Valencia and Catalonia.
Although Nationalist Spain ultimately retook Teruel, the battle depleted manpower and materiel on both sides; the Nationalist victory opened the way for the subsequent Aragon Offensive that cut the Republican territory in two and shifted the front lines closer to the Mediterranean, aiding Franco's strategic consolidation. Politically, the engagement strengthened Francisco Franco's position in negotiations with allied forces such as the Italian Fascist regime and bolstered the role of the Army of Africa, while the Republican defeat intensified internal tensions within the Spanish Republican government and among factions like the POUM and CNT-FAI.
Historians and memorialists from schools associated with Julio Aróstegui, Paul Preston, Hugh Thomas, and Spanish scholars have debated the conduct, significance, and responsibility for decisions at Teruel, producing analyses that reference archival sources from the Archivo General de la Guerra Civil Española and memoirs by participants including commanders and International Brigade veterans. Commemorations, monuments, and controversies over exhumations and memory law initiatives—linked to broader debates involving the Spanish Historical Memory Law—reflect continuing reinterpretations of the battle's legacy in Spain and among international researchers.
Category:Battles of the Spanish Civil War Category:1938 in Spain