Battle of Mérida

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Battle of Mérida
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Date August 10-11, 1936 Location Mérida, Spain Result Nationalist victory
Combatants
Spanish Republic	Nationalist Spain
Commanders
Unknown	Carlos Asensio Heli Rolando de Tella
Strength
2,600 militia	1,000 regulars
Casualties
Unknown	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

The Battle of Mérida saw Republican militia twice fail to halt the Army of Africa near the historic town of Mérida early in the Spanish Civil War.

The Nationalists routed the Republicans from the city August 10, 1936 and secured control the following day, allowing General Yagüe to surround and capture neighbouring Badajoz several days later.

Contents 1 Nationalist advance 2 The battle 3 References 4 External links

[edit] Nationalist advance

The Nationalist army under Colonel Asensio, assembled at Seville with German and Italian help, began its lightning drive northward on August 2 in trucks supplied by General Queipo de Llano. Major Castejón followed with a second column on August 3.

Asensio raced north, smashing through fierce Republican resistance August 6. The next day, the Army of Africa captured the village of Almendralejo after a bloody struggle that decimated both sides. The Republicans retreated north to nearby Mérida, while the Nationalists waited for Castejón.

[edit] The battle

The Republican militia made another stand on the Guadiana, several kilometers south of Mérida, on August 10. Asensio pushed forward and captured the bridge, then swept across the river and captured the city. The militia retreated rather than risk encirclement. General Juan Yagüe then arrived to take command of the Nationalist army.

Yagüe next moved east against Badajoz with Asensio and Castejón, leaving a detachment under Lieutenant Colonel Tella to hold Mérida. On August 11, the Republican militia reappeared with a strong contingent of Asaltos and Guardia Civil from Madrid. The Republicans attacked and were beaten by Tella's professional Legionnaires.

Meanwhile, Yagüe's contingent took Badajoz by storm.