La Cucaracha Spanish Civil War Diary August 1938

- August 1938 -

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This poster shows a Spanish police officer with a dead or wounded child, standing in front of a ruined city, threatened by enemy air planes. Police officers did not have a red star as part of the uniform, contrary to the painting on this poster. But the influence of the Communist party is already so big that their propaganda is visible virtually everywhere.

This month is decisive for the outcome of the war. World politics is moving in huge steps towards a big European war, with Neville Chamberlain doing everything possible to satisfy the demands of European dictators Mussolini and Hitler, not only to avoid a war with Germany, but also cause he thinks that a strong Fascist dictatorship in the center of Europe will hold back the growing Communism. Hitler wants the democracies in Europe destroyed. After the permanent occupation of Austria, he now wants the 'Sudetenland', a huge part of Czechia.

Meanwhile the Spanish government has once again its own crisis. The Communist party is now in near total control of public and political life in Spain and the last barriers of somewhat independence, the regional governments, are cut down in their influence and power. Many conservative and socialist politicians understand now the mistake they did in supporting the Communists to suppress the so called 'radical forces', like the Anarchists, in Aragon and Catalonia.

The Ebro battle turns out to be a disaster for the Republic. Unhindered by the Nonintervention committee, Franco can count on the sympathies of Chamberlain and Churchill, the Germans and Italians send in an ever growing amounts of war material and men, especially ammunition, airplanes and heavy artillery. The Germans are also testing tactics with fast, armored ground units in combination with tanks and infantry. The Spanish government on the other side, is using its war material without possibilities of replacing it. The Republican offensive in the Ebro battle is stopping the very same moment the troops run out of ammunition.

*01 Aug Theodore Dreiser visits Barcelona**
	Theodor Dreiser, U.S. American writer, visits Barcelona as a representative of the League of American writers, in support of the Republic.

04 Aug *Heavy fights at Mequinenza, Alto Guadalaviar and Mora de Ebro

Juan Modesto Guilloto was in charge of the Republican Ebro army and commanding the Republican offensive

*07 Aug The Republicans have to retreat at Mequinenza behind the Ebro**
	Under constant pressure from front and one side, the Republican troops at Mequinenza retreated back to the right side of the Ebro river.

*09 Aug The Republican Ebro offensive stopped at Balaguer**
	The Republican troops run out of ammunition and the Fascist air force is bombing their rear constantly during daylight, the few supply transports can only pass slowly at night (without light, what makes it soon impossible to reach the front during one nighttime).

Field headquarters of the Republican 24th battalion, 15th brigade

*09 Aug Fascist General Queipo de Llano attacks at Castuera (Extremadura)**
	To enforce pressure on the Republicans troops, the Fascists attack in the Extremadura, threatening the important mines at Almaden.

*11 Aug Republican government puts war important industries under its direct control**
	In protest of this offense to regional autonomy, two ministers resign, Irujo and Ayguade, causing a crisis between the regional administrations of Basque and Catalonia and the central government. This mirrors the deep distrust and rejection of Republican politicians against the meanwhile near total control of public life by the Communist party.

12 Aug *Counter attack of Republican army against Queipo de Llano's troops at Castuera

*13 Aug Fierce fighting at Pandols**
	At Pandols International Brigades and Fascist troops are attacking each other constantly. The Internationals take it as a question of honor and pride to gain back the positions from where they were driven away during the disastrous retreats a few months earlier.

Members of the 15th International Brigade in action in the Sierra de Pandols

14 Aug *Franco forces the Republican army to retreat at Ebro battle

*14 Aug Meeting between Prime Minister Negrin and President Azana**
	Negrin and Azana talk about the crisis in the central government and the resignation of two ministers.

Members of the Rep. 59th battalion fire a trench mortar on the Gandesa front.

*17 Aug Prime Minister Dr. Negrin presents new government**
	With that the political crisis in the government is officially ended.

18 Aug *British commission in Barcelona to inspect the daily Fascist air raids on the city

After air raid, police officers in Barcelona or Valencia

19 Aug *Massive Fascist offensive at Villalba de los Arcos

20 Aug *German writer Ernst Toeller visits Barcelona

On the 20th of August the German IB's Heinrich Holzer (front) and Simond Feldmann (back), shot down a Legion Condor He 111 air plane at Sierra de Pandols with their Maxim machine gun from the first world war.

*27 Aug Republican army attacks again in the Extremadura**
	The Republican army is trying to maintain the initiative in Extremadura.

*30 Aug Total superiority of Fascist air forces and artillery at Ebro front**
	With newly arrived material from Germany and Italy, Franco gains the total superiority on air and ground. Large range artillery and air planes are bombing the Republican front and rearguard at the Ebro during day and night, only paused for massive and fast attacks with tanks and infantry during the days.

Republican soldier watches the first frontline under heavy fire. The Fascists start their counter offensive.

*31 Aug Franco insists again in a total military victory and denies all peace talks**
	Despite the rumors of secret peace talks, and the (soft) pressure of various countries calling for a peace agreement, Franco insists in a total military victory.