La Cucaracha Spanish Civil War Diary August 1937

- August 1937 -

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Republican Poster: "Saving The Harvest is as much as winning a battle against the enemy"

Prime Minister Negrin is in a difficult situation. While he has to tolerate and even support the Communist demands, he is also not willing to give the government into Stalin's hands. His Ministers of Justice and the Interior, Irujo and Zugazagoitia, are Democrats and fighting with some success to keep the independence of Spain against Stalin.

August will be the start of a longer conflict between the government and the Communist party.

In August 1937 Spain is going through some changes, especially concerning the cultural and political life. The influence of the Anarchists is cut down, but the Communists cannot obtain the total control of the government.

Nin

Negrin demands of the Communist party ministers to know the whereabouts of Nin, the arrested POUM leader, and Ministers Irujo and Zugazagoitia are threatening to resign at the flagrant violation of the government's authority by the Communists. A fact-finding committee to investigate the 'rumors' about illegal and secret prisons is formed, completely consisting of non-communists.

Colonel Orlov, Stalin's agent in Spain, is desperate. Nin was killed after being tortured during his interrogation. So he arranged for a simulated kidnapping, explaining afterwards that the German Gestapo (German secret police) freed Nin, who was a Nazi spy and collaborator. Nobody believes these lies.

The Nin case is a terrible moral blow to the credit of the Negrin government. Negrin removes the Director General of Security, Colonel Ortega, cause he evidently cooperated with Orlov and announces the creation of the Servicio de Inteligencia Militar, headed by a Socialist, as central intelligence institution.

The supply of Russian arms is falling off rapidly, for practical as well as political reasons.

While the Republic is isolated by the Nonintervention committee and dependent on the good will of the French government (1) the Fascists get their own supply unhindered through Portugal. For the Nonintervention committee Portugal is not involved in the conflict and therefore a neutral country, so Italy and Germany are sending their armament officially to Portugal, who has a border to the Fascist controlled Spain. In at least one case the British officials in Gibraltar are passing by an armament delivery to the Fascists.

The Nonintervention committee's sea blockade is very effective. The Republican controlled shore is blocked by German and Italian war ships. Both countries are member of the Nonintervention committee.

(1) France is opening the borders only for short times whenever it seems that the Republic is loosing. This makes it impossible for the Spanish government to start a real campaign against the Fascists or even plan their resistance, cause it just don't get the regular supply for it. Whenever the Republic gains military victories, the French border will be closed, whenever the Fascists are winning, the border will be reopened for a short while. This leads to a situation where the Spanish government is permanently hoarding the armament for the times of total isolation, instead of sending it to the front where it is needed. This will lead later to the low opinion that the Republic lost the war cause it leaders were incompetent As evidence those 'historians' will quote that, while the army at the front lacked even basic equipment, the storage's of the Republic were comparatively full ('full' is a term of discussion, of course).

*02 Aug Hedilla imprisoned in Las Palmas**
	The Fascist militia leader Hedilla, sentenced to death for opposing General Franco, is imprisoned in Las Palmas. The death sentence against him is suspended by General Franco.

*07 Aug Private catholic worship permitted**
	Cause the Catholic church, with the exception of the Basque church, supported the Fascist uprising, in many areas of the Republic churches where closed down by the local authorities. With the permission of private worship the Republican government guarantees the freedom of worship, without going so far to allow priests to pray in public against the will of the local authorities.

10 Aug *Consejo de Aragon dissolved

General Pozas and his officers in the 'Consejo de Aragon'

Prime minister Negrin is working steadily to affirm the authority of his government against all forms of regional and political dissidence. Today the government announces the dissolution of the 'Consejo de Aragon' (Council of Aragon), the anarchist-dominated administration which had been recognized by Largo Caballero in December 1936. The Anarchist officials are arrested and the troops of General Lister, mostly Communists, behave like invaders and not like governmental troops. The revolutionary efforts and changes made by the Anarchists will be undone.
(The arrested officials will be released in a couple of weeks, after the authority of the council has been broken and government authority established)

*13 Aug Fascist offensive against Santander**
	The Fascist troops under command of General Davila are starting their offensive campaigns against Santander. The Basque government and army are making here their last stand, supported by several Republican troops and militias. The position of the defenders is weakened by the lack of airforce and a dispute between Basque Prime Minister Aguirre and the commanding General of the Basque army, Gamir.

15 Aug *SIM created; political meetings in Barcelona forbidden

To give back the control of secret police activities to the government and displace Russian and Communist intelligence activities the SIM (Servicio de Inteligencia Militar) is created. Also political meetings are forbidden in Barcelona from now on. The mixture of regionalism, anarchism and defeatism, constituted a steady drain of the war effort. Also the situation was unstable after the May incidents.

*17 Aug Socialist Party / Communist Party unity pact**
	The Communist party demanded the fusion of the Socialist with the Communist parties, like in all Communist controlled countries. The government refuses this demand as not appropriate for a democratic country. To put an end to this demand, the government persuade the involved parties to declare a unity pact instead, leaving them independent.

*24 Aug The Republic starts a mayor offensive at Belchite / Quinto**
	The Republican Army, including International Brigades, want to prepare with this offensive the later recapture of Saragossa. The two important towns in the area, Belchite and Quinto, are defended by around 7.000 Fascist militiamen. These Fascist militiamen turn out to be fanatically brave and resourceful defending the towns. The government troops are involved at the moment in heavy streetfights.

Republican motorized units entering Quinto after the fights, September 37	Two Republican tanks destroyed during the attacks
International Brigades inspecting the damages in Quinto after the fights, September 37

26 Aug *Fall of Santander in the north

The Basque defense line at Santander broke down under the permanent attack from troops, artillery and around 250 airplanes. Ten thousands of soldiers and civilians are fleeing to the port of Santander. Only few can escape over the stormy sea in the Biscay Bay, in which overcrowded boats are sinking, among them General Gamir and the leader of the Basque government, Aguirre. 60.000 Basque and Republican soldiers fell prisoners, the Fascists capture an enormous amount war material.
Around 25.000 soldiers, 3000 officers and several hundred officials of the Basque army and administration concentrate in Santona, east of Santander, to surrender themselves to the Italian troops. In secret consultations they agreed with the Italians to hand over their weapons, the Italians allowing the Basque officers and civilians to go aboard two British ships waiting in the port.

The free and independent Basque country ceased to exist.

*27 Aug The refugees at Santona are captivated by Franco's troops**
	While the refugees are embarking under Italian control to the British ships, Fascist battle cruisers are entering the port and forcing the Basques to disembark. The Italians have to withdraw from the port and the refugees will be imprisoned. The last province in the north under government control is now Asturias.

*27 Aug Republican Army attacks at Fuentes de Ebro**
	The International brigades attack at Fuentes de Ebro to establish positions, together with Belchite and Quinto, to retake Saragossa, a pro-Republican city in the hands of the Fascists.

Republican soldiers in a conquered
Fascist position near Quinto