War in the North

War in the North
Part of the Spanish Civil War
Map of the campaign
Date 31 March – 21 October 1937 Location Northern Spain Result Nationalist victory Republican defeat in northern Spain
Belligerents
Spanish Republic Basque Army	Nationalist Spain CTV Condor Legion
Commanders and leaders
Adolfo Prada Vaquero Francisco Llano de la Encomienda Francisco Ciutat Francisco Galán Belarmino Tomás	Emilio Mola José Solchaga Fidel Davila Ettore Bastico
Strength
120,000 soldiers thousands of anarchists milicianos[1] 250 artillery pieces 40 tanks 70 aircraft 2 destroyers 7 armed trawlers	100,000 Nationalist soldiers 60,000 Italian soldiers[2] 400 artillery pieces 230 aircraft 1 battleship 2 cruisers 1 destroyer
Casualties and losses
33,000 dead 100,000 prisoners one destroyer	10,000 dead one battleship

The War in the North (Spanish: Ofensiva del Norte) was a theatre of the Spanish Civil War that occurred in northern Spain from 31 March to 21 October 1937.

The Nationalists launched a number of offensives into parts of the Basque Country, Santander (Cantabria), and Asturias that formed an enclave loyal to the Republican government. The Biscay Campaign from March to July saw the bombing of Guernica and Durango and resulted in the Republicans losing the Basque Country after the Battle of Bilbao. The Nationalists captured Santander in September after the Battle of Santander and launched the Asturias Offensive against the last northern Republican stronghold in eastern Asturias. The Battle of El Mazucu saw fierce Republican resistance against Nationalist attacks and possibly the first use of carpet bombing against a military target. The War in the North ended when the Nationalists broke through the Republican lines and captured the city of Gijón at the end of October.