Bilbao's Iron Ring: Difference between revisions
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{{redirect|Iron Belt|the mining district in Chile|Chilean Iron Belt}} |
{{redirect|Iron Belt|the mining district in Chile|Chilean Iron Belt}} |
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[[Image:Cinturondehierro.jpg|thumb|Bunker entrance in mount [[Artxanda]].]] |
[[Image:Cinturondehierro.jpg|thumb|Bunker entrance in mount [[Artxanda]].]] |
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'''Bilbao's Iron Ring'''<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757966,00.html "SPAIN: Last Chance"], ''Time Magazine'', 21 June 1937.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19370614&id=9qgxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eEADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6365,6142773 "Insurgent Advance Guard Breaks Through Bilbao's Iron Ring"], ''The Ludington Daily News'', 14 June 1937.</ref> ({{lang-es|Cinturón de Hierro}}, {{lang-eu|Bilboko Burdin Hesia}}), is a [[fortification]] around [[Bilbao]] in the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque Country]], [[Spain]]. It was constructed hurriedly by the [[Basque Government]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]] to help defend the city from the [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|Nationalist]] forces approaching as part of their [[War in the North]] campaign. The Iron Ring was a vast [[labyrinthine]] fortification network around Bilbao, consisting of [[bunkers]], [[tunnels]], and fortified [[trenches]] in several rings, protected by [[artillery]]. However, despite the extensive coverage, it was an antiquated defence concept similar to [[First World War]] fortifications, which made it vulnerable to modern warfare weapons of the time, such as [[aircraft]] and artillery. Additionally, the fortifications were designed to be manned by 70,000 troops but were eventually only manned by 30,000, less than half conceived to defend it. Therefore, the Iron Ring was easily overcome by Nationalist forces in the [[Battle of Bilbao]] when it was breached by an infantry [[assault]] supported by heavy air and artillery bombardment from 150 guns and 70 bombers, and the system was completely defeated within two days.<ref name=Chueca>{{in lang|eu}} Josu CHUECA: [http://www.berria.info/36ko_gerra/index.php?alb_id=58 «Burdin Gerrikoa puskatuta»], ''36ko Gerra orain''.</ref><ref name=ImanolVilla>{{in lang|es}} Imanol VILLA: [http://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/prensa/20070211/vizcaya/cinturon-hierro_20070211.html «El Cinturón de Hierro»], ''El Correo'', 2007-02-11.</ref> |
'''Bilbao's Iron Ring'''<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757966,00.html "SPAIN: Last Chance"], ''Time Magazine'', 21 June 1937.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=110&dat=19370614&id=9qgxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eEADAAAAIBAJ&pg=6365,6142773 "Insurgent Advance Guard Breaks Through Bilbao's Iron Ring"], ''The Ludington Daily News'', 14 June 1937.</ref> ({{lang-es|Cinturón de Hierro}}, {{lang-eu|Bilboko Burdin Hesia}}), is a [[fortification]] around [[Bilbao]] in the [[Basque Country (autonomous community)|Basque Country]], [[Spain]]. It was constructed hurriedly by the [[Basque Government]] during the [[Spanish Civil War]] to help defend the city from the [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|Nationalist]] forces approaching as part of their [[War in the North]] campaign. |
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The Iron Ring was a vast [[labyrinthine]] fortification network around Bilbao, consisting of [[bunkers]], [[tunnels]], and fortified [[trenches]] in several rings, protected by [[artillery]]. However, despite the extensive coverage, it was an antiquated defence concept similar to [[First World War]] fortifications, which made it vulnerable to modern warfare weapons of the time, such as [[aircraft]] and artillery. Additionally, the fortifications were designed to be manned by 70,000 troops but were eventually only manned by 30,000, less than half conceived to defend it. Therefore, the Iron Ring was easily overcome by Nationalist forces in the [[Battle of Bilbao]] when it was breached by an infantry [[assault]] supported by heavy air and artillery bombardment from 150 guns and 70 bombers, and the system was completely defeated within two days.<ref name=Chueca>{{in lang|eu}} Josu CHUECA: [http://www.berria.info/36ko_gerra/index.php?alb_id=58 «Burdin Gerrikoa puskatuta»], ''36ko Gerra orain''.</ref><ref name=ImanolVilla>{{in lang|es}} Imanol VILLA: [http://www.elcorreo.com/vizcaya/prensa/20070211/vizcaya/cinturon-hierro_20070211.html «El Cinturón de Hierro»], ''El Correo'', 2007-02-11.</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 21:37, 13 May 2020
Bilbao's Iron Ring[1][2] (Template:Lang-es, Template:Lang-eu), is a fortification around Bilbao in the Basque Country, Spain. It was constructed hurriedly by the Basque Government during the Spanish Civil War to help defend the city from the Nationalist forces approaching as part of their War in the North campaign.
The Iron Ring was a vast labyrinthine fortification network around Bilbao, consisting of bunkers, tunnels, and fortified trenches in several rings, protected by artillery. However, despite the extensive coverage, it was an antiquated defence concept similar to First World War fortifications, which made it vulnerable to modern warfare weapons of the time, such as aircraft and artillery. Additionally, the fortifications were designed to be manned by 70,000 troops but were eventually only manned by 30,000, less than half conceived to defend it. Therefore, the Iron Ring was easily overcome by Nationalist forces in the Battle of Bilbao when it was breached by an infantry assault supported by heavy air and artillery bombardment from 150 guns and 70 bombers, and the system was completely defeated within two days.[3][4]
References
- ^ "SPAIN: Last Chance", Time Magazine, 21 June 1937.
- ^ "Insurgent Advance Guard Breaks Through Bilbao's Iron Ring", The Ludington Daily News, 14 June 1937.
- ^ (in Basque) Josu CHUECA: «Burdin Gerrikoa puskatuta», 36ko Gerra orain.
- ^ (in Spanish) Imanol VILLA: «El Cinturón de Hierro», El Correo, 2007-02-11.
39°56′N 0°34′W / 39.933°N 0.567°W
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