The Battle of Lleida (1938) took place during the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

in 1938 in the city of

Lleida Lleida (, ; ; '' see below'') is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital and largest town in Segrià county, the Ponent region and the province of Lleida. Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Central Depression. It ...

, western

Catalonia Catalonia is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationalities and regions of Spain, nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy of Catalonia of 2006, Statute of Autonomy. Most of its territory (except the Val d'Aran) is situate ...

Background

On 7 March 1938,

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...

ordered an offensive from Aragon towards the sea with the goal of isolating Catalonia from the rest of the Republican zone. As soon as Franco's troops entered

, the president of the Catalonia, Lluís Companys, gave a speech in Catalan announcing that "foreign armies are at the gates of our house." He called on the Catalans "to fight, to work and to resist, because to resist is to triumph and because we could not live without freedom. If the enemy wins, our language would be persecuted, our institutions mocked, our people subjugated, our customs mocked."

Battle

The Republicans deployed 46th Division in the city with the mission of defending

Lérida Lleida (, ; ; ''#Name, see below'') is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital and largest town in Segrià, Segrià county, the Ponent, Ponent region and the province of Lleida. Geographically, it is located in the Catalan Cent ...

. It was supported by troops from the Republican 16th and Divisions. Republican units were deployed in the surrounding orchards in order to establish a defensive perimeter.

Aftermath

Republican forces suffered heavy casualties during the battle. The Republican 46th Division suffered a 40% casualty rate while the Nationalist 13th Division suffered a 10% casualty rate by comparison.

References

Sources

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1938 in Spain

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