Chapter 13: Gearing Up for War
Franco ordered his generals to move their men into position for muster before declaring war on the Portuguese.
Lt. Gen Orgaz Yoldi’s I. Corps would be sent to Castuera to gather up. Because they had the most powerful divisions (already given artillery support), their task would be to take the Portuguese capital of Lisbon.
Lt. Gen. Millan Astray y Terreros’s II. Corps would go to Valverde y Camino and assist by securing the southern coastal provinces on Orgaz Yoldi’s left flank.
Lt. Gen. Goded Llopis’s III. Corps would head to Bejar to make up the northern part of the line stretching from the border in the north down to the Atlantic Coast.
Lt. Gen. Saliquet Zumeta’s IV. Corps would go to Ourense in the North and be responsible for collapsing southwards towards Porto.
Lt. Gen. Lopez-Pinto Berizo’s Cavalry Corps would head to Truillo in the center and serve both to shore up the lines and penetrate to separate the north from the south.
Finally, Roatta’s V. Corps would head down to Cadiz to be loaded into the transports to take the Portuguese Island possessions in the Atlantic. Eventually, all of the North African/Eastern Atlantic islands would have to be taken to ensure that the Portuguese Fleet (if Franco couldn’t destroy it first) could not be a threat to our shipping.
By November 1, the 5 corps were in place, and the army was mobilized.
On November 10, Franco’s research team had announced a major breakthrough in Construction Engineering which would allow the nation to build new industrial plants to support Franco’s grand visions. Immediately, he ordered 3 new plants to begin construction.
On November 17, Franco ordered the army deployed, and the fleet recalled to Cadiz from La Coruna.
On November 24, with the army in place, the combat fleet was ordered to scout the coastline to try to find the Portuguese fleet. The next day, Admiral Agacino Armas reported seeing a fleet in port, but the numbers were unknown. After sailing up to Porto to find no ships there, the fleet returned to the coast of Lisbon in preparation for the assault.
And at 5am on November 27, 1936, Spain went back to war, this time as a unified country against a common enemy.