The Rákosi Battalion was a volunteer unit founded in April 1937. It was formed predominantly of Hungarians , who fought in the CL International Brigade and the XIII International Brigade during the Spanish Civil War (1936–39). The battalion was named after Mátyás Rákosi , then a political prisoner in Miklós Horthy 's Hungary , later leader of the Hungarian People's Republic .
7-711: It was initially part of the CL International Brigade which was disbanded on 4 August 1937, and thereafter the battalion became part of the XIII International Brigade. The Battalion's first action (with 288 men) was in the Huesca Offensive in June 1937. The battalion became trapped by machine-gun fire and lost a quarter of its men. Their commander, Ákos Hevesi, and political commissar, Imre Tarr, were both killed as they led from
14-883: The Aragon and Madrid fronts in order to divert Nationalist troops. The Republican government decided to launch an attack against the Nationalist held city of Huesca . After the May Days , the Republican forces in the Aragon front had been reorganized and the Republican government established a new Army of the East . This force, under the command of General Pozas, was reinforced with the XII International Brigade , led by General Lukacs, and four brigades from
21-994: The Spanish Civil War by the Republican Army in June 1937 in order to take the Aragonese city of Huesca , which since the start of the war in July 1936 had been under the control of the Nationalist forces . In April 1937, the Nationalists started an offensive against the Republican-held Biscay Province , and by the end of May, the Navarrese troops had reached the eastern side of Bilbao 's defenses. The Republican government then decided to launch two diversionary offensives on
28-469: The assault was repelled by the Nationalist troops. On 19 June, the Nationalists entered Bilbao and the offensive was called off, after other two days of failed Republican assaults. The Republican troops had heavy casualties (according to Beevor, 9,000), mainly anarchist and POUM members. The failed offensive after the recent May Days in Barcelona , increased the defeatism and the suspicions among
35-467: The central front. The Republican forces outnumbered the Nationalist forces besieged in Huesca, but the Nationalist troops were well entrenched and the Republican troops had little artillery and armoured support. The attack against Huesca started on 12 June, led by Lukács. The Republican troops attacking across open ground were decimated by the machine-gun and artillery fire of the Nationalists. Furthermore,
42-596: The front. At the start of the Battle of the Ebro , on 25 July 1938, the battalion led the XIII International Brigade and 35th Division across the river near Ascó , initially advancing quickly. This article about the Spanish Civil War is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Huesca Offensive Army of the East The Huesca Offensive was an operation carried out during
49-478: The same day, Lukács was hit by a Nationalist shell and died. The offensive saw the Rakosi Battalion 's first action (with 288 men). The battalion became trapped by machine-gun fire and lost a quarter of its men. Their commander, Ákos Hevesi, and political commissar, Imre Tarr, were both killed as they led from the front. On 16 June the Republican troops attacked the villages of Alerre and Chimillas but
#244755