Spanish Civil War
1936–1939
Most of the fleet stayed loyal to the Republic when the army rose in July 1936, but its crews had killed many of their officers and it was poorly led. The Nationalists held Ferrol, finished the new heavy cruisers Canarias and Baleares there, and with them broke the Republican hold on the Strait of Gibraltar. At Cape Palos in 1938 Republican destroyers torpedoed and sank Baleares. Germany and Italy backed the Nationalists at sea, and in March 1939 the Republican fleet sailed for internment at Bizerte.
How the fleets moved
Click a route to see which ships made it, or a battle for its summary. Routes are approximate.
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Republican movement
Nationalist movement
Battle (size: ships engaged)
Routes are approximate.
Major battles
The 4 biggest of the 8 battles covered here, by ships engaged.
5 March 1937
Battle of Cape MachichacoOff Bermeo, Bay of Biscay
Nationalist victory; Galdames captured
5 (2 lost)
vs
1
7 September 1937
Battle of Cape CherchellOff Cherchell, French Algeria
Inconclusive; Republican convoy scattered
11 (1 lost)
vs
1
5–6 March 1938
Battle of Cape PalosEast of Cape Palos, near Cartagena
Republican victory; Baleares sunk
7
vs
3 (1 lost)
Fleets
Each navy's ships in the war, from its biggest down.