Battle of Menorca
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Menorca took place in Menorca between the 4 and 9 February 1939 during the Spanish Civil War
.
, the island of Minorca
, the only Balearic island held by the Republic, was isolated from the Republican held territory. Then, Franco said to the British government that the Italian troops would abandon the Balearic Islands after the war and the British government accepted to arrange the surrender of the Republican garrison.
came to the Mahon
harbor with a Nationalist emissary, Fernando Sartorius on board. Sartorius said to the Republican commander, Luis Gonzalez Ubieta that the Nationalists forces would occupy the island on 8 February, but the Republican officers and supporters would abandon the island. The same day, three batallions of the republican garrison, led by a member of the Fifth column
, the officer Juan Thomas, occupied the Minorca ciudadela, after killing the Republican commander Marcelino Rodríguez. The Republican troops, one brigade, arrived from Mahon, defeated the rebel troops after a brief combat and surrounded the Ciudadela, nevertheless the Republican officers believed that the fight was useless, desired to abandon the island and the British arranged the surrender of the island to the Nationalists on board of the HMS Devonshire. On 8 February, Italian and Spanish bombers bombing Mahon, but the HMS Devonshire sailed to Marsella with 452 Republican refuges on board. On 9 February, the 105th division of the Nationalist disembark at the Ciudadela and the Republican troops surrendered.
against the Negrin’s government.
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
.
Background
After the fall of CataloniaCatalonia Offensive
The Catalonia Offensive was part of the Spanish Civil War. The Nationalist Army started the offensive on December 23, 1938, and rapidly conquered Republican-held Catalonia with its capital city from October 1937, Barcelona. Barcelona was captured on January 26, 1939. The Republican government...
, the island of Minorca
Minorca
Min Orca or Menorca is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. It takes its name from being smaller than the nearby island of Majorca....
, the only Balearic island held by the Republic, was isolated from the Republican held territory. Then, Franco said to the British government that the Italian troops would abandon the Balearic Islands after the war and the British government accepted to arrange the surrender of the Republican garrison.
The rising
On 7 February the british cruiser HMS DevonshireHMS Devonshire (39)
HMS Devonshire was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was part of the London subgroup of the County class, and saw service in the Second World War.-Early career:...
came to the Mahon
Mahon
Mahón is a municipality and the capital city of the Balearic Island of Minorca , located in the eastern part of the island. Mahon has the second deepest natural harbor in the world: 5 km long and up to 900m. wide...
harbor with a Nationalist emissary, Fernando Sartorius on board. Sartorius said to the Republican commander, Luis Gonzalez Ubieta that the Nationalists forces would occupy the island on 8 February, but the Republican officers and supporters would abandon the island. The same day, three batallions of the republican garrison, led by a member of the Fifth column
Fifth column
A fifth column is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group such as a nation from within.-Origin:The term originated with a 1936 radio address by Emilio Mola, a Nationalist General during the 1936–39 Spanish Civil War...
, the officer Juan Thomas, occupied the Minorca ciudadela, after killing the Republican commander Marcelino Rodríguez. The Republican troops, one brigade, arrived from Mahon, defeated the rebel troops after a brief combat and surrounded the Ciudadela, nevertheless the Republican officers believed that the fight was useless, desired to abandon the island and the British arranged the surrender of the island to the Nationalists on board of the HMS Devonshire. On 8 February, Italian and Spanish bombers bombing Mahon, but the HMS Devonshire sailed to Marsella with 452 Republican refuges on board. On 9 February, the 105th division of the Nationalist disembark at the Ciudadela and the Republican troops surrendered.
Aftermath
After the surrender of Minorca, many Republican officers in the central zone believed that they would negotiate a deal with the Nationalists, and then started to plan a coupFinal offensive of the Spanish Civil War
The Final offensive of the Spanish Civil War took place between the 26th of March and the 1st of April 1939, towards the end of the Spanish Civil War...
against the Negrin’s government.