The Rif War in rugged northern Morocco is remembered for romantic
films and novels about the French Foreign Legion, such as Beau Geste.
In reality, the French intervention, although very important, was late
and secondary in importance to that of the Spanish. The second volume
of The Rif War begins with the aftermath of the Disaster of Annual and
documents the Spanish response and reconquest of Morocco. While the
renewed campaign remained largely one of columns, outposts and
fortresses, it also took on the character of a very modern war, with
the use of armored vehicles, trench warfare, aircraft, chemical
weapons and large-scale amphibious landings by combined arms forces.
Indeed, the Spanish landing at Alhucemas, conducted with French naval
support, would become the subject of study by the Allies in the Second
World War. Yet despite these innovations, including a number of
‘firsts’ in the history of conflict and in particular, of the
history of conflict in Africa, Spain would continue to suffer heavy
casualties in a bitterly fought contest for control of Morocco. Volume
2 of The Rif War covers the Spanish reconquest of the positions lost
after the Disaster of Annual in the Melilla Sector, the near disaster
of Xauen in the Western zone of the African Protectorate, the Rifian
attack in French Morocco, the Landing at Alhucemas and the
Spanish-French offensive, with the capture of Abd El-Krim and the
destruction of his forces, and the final campaigns in the Gomara
region to pacify the Protectorate. This series of books addresses the
organization of the Spanish and Rifian armies, and of the air forces
and their operations, including those of an incipient and frustrated
Rifian aviation. The war also saw the Spanish Army completely
reformed, reaching new levels of effectiveness with the Spanish Legion
and the recruitment of Moroccan soldiers of the Regulares. This volume
is richly illustrated with original photographs of the conflict, and
includes specially commissioned artworks showing the men, vehicles,
aircraft and ships employed in the Rif War.
Les mer
Volume 2 - From Xauén to the Alhucemas Landing and Beyond 1922-1927
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781804514160
Publisert
2024
Utgiver
Casemate Publishers and Book Distributors, LLC
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter