The Year of Preparation
Part I: Operation Gaius Laelius, January 1 – January 25, 1938
Mussolini was set on intervening in Spain by the beginning of 1938. Pintor’s 7th Army was readying itself for combat. Campioni’s fleet was readying itself as well. Mussolini had further decided against gambling with his first maritime operation and had all other fleets also preparing to move on a moment’s notice. Italy was tensing, coiling itself into a position from which it could spring. Italy was waiting for the moment when diplomacy would break, and its sword would be unsheathed.
It was the waiting that the Italian high command, and Mussolini in particular, found so nerve-wracking. Everyone was committed to the operation. Most realized that it could only improve their strategic position, as they had accepted that war with Britain was nearly inevitable. A foothold near Gibraltar would immeasurably increase Italy’s chances, as it would allow them the opportunity to attempt to capture that steadfast fortress, which has survived every siege since falling into British hands in 1704. Its strategic importance was undeniable: the First Sea Lord John “Jackie” Fisher had named it as one of the locks of the world. Italy needed it, and Mussolini spent every torturous January day waiting for news of the Spanish front, and of news from the foreign ministry. On the 23rd, they finally notified him: operations could start within days.
The foreign ministry report on the 23rd, showing that Italy was tantalizingly close to being able to intervene.
The codeword went out immediately: “Margherita!” Immediately the naval side of the Operation, codenamed “Gaius Laelius,” was set into effect. Four fleets of warships sailed for the south Spanish coast. Campioni’s fleet sailed from Palermo. Ghé left Taranto with Italy’s big battleships and more obsolescent escort vessels. Iachino set out from Genoa with a fleet of light cruisers and destroyers. Brivonesi went forth from La Spezia with six heavy cruisers. Hours later, a long convoy of transports sailed out from Naples. This convoy consisted of four separate flotillas of transports: three of two transport squadrons each, and one of four. Aboard the first flotilla were two divisions under the commands of Scattini and Bitossi. The second flotilla transported Roatta’s headquarters as well as his other two divisions, commanded by Mancinelli and Giorgis. On board the third flotilla were both Pintor’s and Gambara’s headquarters as well as Frattini’s and Nicolosi’s divisions. Aboard the final, and largest, convoy were only Messe’s and Caracciolo di Feroletto’s divisions. They would, however, likely have a hot landing and thus received extra transports to serve as decoys from the real ones.
The convoy of troop transports, stretching from Naples to beyond Sardinia.
By the early morning of January 25th, all these ships were in position off the coast of Spain. Transports sat opposite Estepona, Marbella, Malaga as well as the entire Spanish coast between Granada and Cartagena. All fleets patrolled beyond the horizon away from Cartagena, ready to pounce upon any Republican ships that left the harbor, save Campioni’s which lay waiting further away. Its main strike force were its carrier air groups; the other vessels were there to protect the two light carriers. The intelligence they were receiving while off the coast was encouraging: though Granada would declare for the Nationalists the moment any soldier entered the city, the rest of the coast was up for grabs. The Nationalists had not succeeded in driving to the coast anywhere, though they were within range of a quick dash to Granada. The future of the operation was still in doubt.
Operation Gaius Laelius was a success, all ships had reached their assigned positions without a hitch.
Finally, at 0800 that same day came the big news. Italy was at war with the Republicans. The soldiers were bombarded by the news and sound of cheering crowds flooding into the streets to congratulate Il Duce and wish the brave soldiers of the Regio Esercito, not to mention the sailors of the Regia Marina, courage and luck. Soldiers and commanders alike made last minute checks to whatever was relevant: their equipment or their dispositions, respectively.
War, declared!
Mere moments after the declaration of war had been relayed to the fleets and the troops, the second codeword was transmitted. “Clara!” Operation Scipio had begun. Italian troops, under an Italian commander, were invading Spain again. Scipio had invaded Spain in 210 BC and in the next year, 209 BC, he had captured Carthago Novo. Over two millennia later, Pintor would invade Spain and his subordinates Messe and Caraciolo di Feroletto would the honor of attacking the same city Scipio had so brilliantly captured. These two generals would be attacking Cartagena once ashore.
Invasion!
The war in Spain had taken a dramatic turn. Hitler was reported to have been stunned to the point of speechlessness by the news of Mussolini’s direct intervention. Stalin saw all his ambitions for Spain crumbling before his eyes. The British and the French saw danger, and instantly rated Italy as the most dangerous threat in and to Europe. So too did the Nationalist Spanish, who were certainly not eager to share the spoils with Italy. One simple declaration of war, and Italy had become the pariah of Europe, more terrible than the Soviet Union had even been in the 1920s.