Battle of Santander

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Santander


caption=Nationalist troops enter Santander on August 26, 1937.
partof=the Spanish Civil War
date=August 14 - September 1, 1937
place=Santander, Cantabria, Spain
result=Decisive Nationalist victory
combatant1=flagicon|Spain|1931 Second Spanish Republic
combatant2=flagicon|Spain|1939 Nationalist Spain
flagicon|Italy|1861-state Italy (CTV)
commander1=Mariano Gamir Ulibarri
commander2=Fidel Dávila Arrondo
strength1=80,000 infantry
strength2=90,000 infantry
126 guns
220 aircraft
casualties1=60,000 dead, wounded, or captured
casualties2=Unknown|The Battle of Santander was fought over the summer of 1937 in the War in the North campaign in the Spanish Civil War. Santander's fall on September 1 assured the Nationalist conquest of Santander and marked the last stand of the Republic's "Army of the North," which was destroyed and captured in the fighting.

Timeline

14 Aug. The Nationalist 1st Navarrese Brigade attacks the front between Valdecebollas (Palencia) and Cuesta Labra, trying to cut off the Republican forces south of the Cantabrian Mountains.
15 Aug. The Nationalists advance in the area of Barruelo (Palencia) up to Peña Rubia, Salcedillo, Matalejos and Reinosilla; the Republic's fight back at Portillo de Suano.
16 Aug. The Nationalists overcome the Republicans at Portillo de Suano and take the factories near Reinosa (Cantabria); they enter Reinosa itself at nightfall. The 4th Navarrese Brigade advances at the River Saja valley towards Cabuérniga Valley (Cantabria). Italian forces advance from Burgos to Lanchares and San Miguel de Aguayo (Cantabria).
17 Aug. Italian forces take El Escudo Pass and join the rest of the forces at San Miguel de Aguayo. 22 Republican battalions are encircled at Campoo (Cantabria).
18 Aug. Nationalist forces take Santiurde, and Italian forces take San Pedro del Romeral and San Miguel de Luena (Cantabria).
19 Aug. Nationalist forces advance in Cabuérniga and the River Pas valley, taking Bárcena de Pie de Concha and Entrambasmestas (Cantabria).
20 Aug. Italian forces advance towards Villacarriedo and Navarrese forces advance towards Torrelavega and Cabezón de la Sal.
22 Aug. The Nationalist take Selaya, Villacarriedo, Ontaneda and Las Fraguas (Cantabria).
23 Aug. Navarrese forces enter Mazcuerras Valley and take Mount Ibio, nearly cutting the main road and railway between Santander and Asturias. Italian forces face Republican resistance near Puente Viesgo (Cantabria).
24 Aug. General Gámir-Ulibarri orders the general evacuation towards Asturias. The Nationalist take Torrelavega and Barreda, cutting the main road to Asturias. The Basque forces, after defeating the front, sign the Santoña Agreement (Spanish Pacto de Santoña) by which they surrender to the Italians.
25 Aug. The main Republican authorities leave Santander, heading to Gijón (Asturias).
26 Aug. Nationalist forces enter Santander around noon; 17,000 republicans are made prisoners, many of whom would be immediately executed.
1 Sep. The Nationalist take Unquera (Cantabria), in the limit with Asturias.
The rest of Santander province (valleys of Tudanca and Liébana) would be taken during the Asturian campaign.

Consequences

Santander's fall, coupled with the capture of heavily-fortified Bilbao, tore an irreparable gap in the Republic's northern front. The destruction of the Army of the North marked another crippling blow to the Republic's sagging strength and turned the war to Franco's favour. Factors accounting for the Republican defeat include:

*The Nationalists' overwhelming superiority in artillery and air power.
*A lack of unified command among Republican units.
*The precision, shock, and rapidity of the Nationalist advance, which had as its objective the destruction of enemy forces and not the consolidation of territory.
*The defenders' poor morale, in contrast to the exceptional confidence and enthusiasm of the Nationalists.
*Mutinies and sedition in the Republican camp. The disaster proved total and the losses beyond repair. Of the twelve Basque brigades there remained at the end only eight battered battalions. The Republican Army of Santander of twelve brigades was reduced to six battalions. The Asturians committed 27 battalions and escaped with only fourteen. In no other theatre of the civil war did Franco's troops achieve results as decisive as those of the Santander campaign: sixty thousand Republican soldiers were wiped off the map, with corresponding losses in materiel. The War in the North was all but won.

External links

* [http://es.geocities.com/su_biografia/guerra_civil.htm La Guerra Civil en Cantabria]
* [http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=58242&highlight=escudo Puerto del Escudo and Italian Forces]

References

*VV.AA.; "Gran Enciclopedia de Cantabria". Editorial Cantabria SA. Santander. 1985 (8 volumes) and 2002 (volumes IX, X y XI)