Battle of Majorca

Battle of Majorca
Part of the Spanish Civil War

Map depicting the height of the offensive in the Balearics, with Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Cabrera, and eastern Majorca all under Republican control (in gray).
Date16 August – 12 September 1936
Location
Majorca, Spain
Result

Nationalist victory

Belligerents
Spain Spanish Republic
Catalonia Generalitat of Catalonia
 Kingdom of Italy
Francoist Spain Nationalist Spain
Commanders and leaders
Spain Cpt. Alberto Bayo
Spain Cpt. Manuel Uribarri
Kingdom of Italy Arconovaldo Bonaccorsi
Francoist Spain Lt. Col. Luis García Ruiz
Strength
8,000 militia
1 battleship
1 light cruiser
2 destroyers
3 submarines
10 guns
3,500 regulars and militia
3 bombers
3 fighters

The Battle of Majorca, also known as the Majorca Landings, was an amphibious landing of Republican forces early in the Spanish Civil War aimed at driving the Nationalists from Majorca and reclaiming the island for the Republic. After some initial tactical success, the expedition, commanded by Captain Alberto Bayo, ended in failure when the Nationalists counterattacked with ground troops and massively superior air power and drove the Republicans into the sea. So confident were the Republicans in their prediction of victory they optimistically called the operation "la reconquista de Mallorca" - "the reconquest of Majorca".